PORT DESIGN FOR SMALL LNG CARRIERS

摘要

LNG ports are traditionally designed for large LNG carriers of 125,000 to 266,000 cum capacity. This paper outlines the advances in LNG port design to combine facilities for large LNG carriers and small LNG Carriers between 1,000 cum to 80,000 cum capacity. These loading operations for small scale LNG Carriers would take place existing large scale LNG berths and so the paper identifies any changes to the existing design that would be required in order to have the capability to load to LNG Carriers of all sizes. The key elements of LNG ports for all capacity to date show that Small scale LNG carriers are generally equipped with an elevated manifold with 16" presentation flanges to allow standard LNG export loading arms to connect to the LNG Carrier without any risk of overreach. Additional fenders may be required at the jetty head to allow safe berthing of LNG Carriers with capacity up to approximately 20,000 m~3. Small scale LNG Carriers are normally not equipped with a compressor to return the Boil Off Gas (BOG) generated during loading back to shore. Therefore the differential pressure between the LNG Carrier's tanks and the onshore LNG tanks has to be sufficient to allow the BOG to free flow back to shore.