Floating liquefied natural gas production facility and method for providing floating liquefied natural gas production facility

Abstract

This floating liquefied natural gas production facility comprises: floating body treatment equipment in which a liquefaction unit for liquefying natural gas is provided in a barge loading area of a barge moored in water or to land by a treatment equipment mooring section, and a tank for storing liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit is not provided; floating body storage equipment which is disposed adjacent to the floating body treatment equipment and in which a tank for storing liquefied natural gas is provided in a ship hull moored in water or to land by a storage equipment mooring section; and transportation equipment for connecting the liquefaction unit and the tank and transporting the liquefied natural gas.

Description

Floating liquefied natural gas production facility and method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a floating liquefied natural gas production facility and a method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility.

[0002] Facilities for liquefying natural gas include a liquefaction unit for liquefying natural gas and a tank for storing the liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction process of the liquefaction unit. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to facilities for processing natural gas mined from the seabed.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-508528

[0004] In order to install such a liquefaction unit and tank at the location where natural gas is mined, various problems occur. For example, in the manufacture of facilities equipped with a liquefaction unit and a tank, due to the presence of the tank, difficulties may arise in mounting the liquefaction unit. Also, since the locations where natural gas is mined are not uniform, it is also desirable to arrange the liquefaction unit and the tank according to each location. Due to the problems exemplified above, in the field of floating liquefied natural gas production facilities, a technology that can more easily install a floating liquefied natural gas production facility at the location where natural gas is mined has been desired.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a floating liquefied natural gas production facility that can be easily installed at the location where natural gas is mined and a method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility.

[0006] The floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to the present disclosure is a floating treatment facility provided with a liquefaction unit for liquefying natural gas on the main surface of a first floating body moored to the seabed or land by a first floating body mooring part, the floating treatment facility not provided with a tank for storing the liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit, a floating storage facility provided with a tank for storing liquefied natural gas on a second floating body arranged adjacent to the floating treatment facility and moored to the seabed or land by a second floating body mooring part, and a transportation facility for connecting the liquefaction unit and the tank and transporting the liquefied natural gas.

[0007] In this floating liquefied natural gas (LPG) production facility, the first floating body that constitutes the floating treatment facility does not have a tank for storing LPG; instead, that tank is located in a separate floating storage facility. This configuration allows the height of the first floating body that constitutes the floating treatment facility to be reduced, making it easier to install the LPG units that make up the floating treatment facility. As a result, the floating liquefied natural gas (LPG) production facility can be easily installed at locations where natural gas is extracted.

[0008] In the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above, the height of the first floating platform on which the liquefaction unit is installed may be lower than the height of the second floating platform on which the tank is installed.

[0009] In the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above, the floating treatment equipment has a treatment equipment output section to which one end of the transport equipment is connected, and the floating storage equipment has a storage equipment input section to which the other end of the transport equipment is connected, and the height of the treatment equipment output section may be lower than the height of the storage equipment input section. With this configuration, it is not necessary to make the height of the floating treatment equipment unnecessarily high.

[0010] In the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above, the transport equipment may include a portion that passes through land. With this configuration, the floating liquefied natural gas production facility can be installed in the vicinity of land in a body of water.

[0011] In the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above, the floating storage facility may include a storage facility input section to which transport equipment is connected for transporting liquefied natural gas sent from the liquefaction unit to a tank, and a storage facility output section for transporting the liquefied natural gas stored in the tank to a liquefied natural gas carrier. With this configuration, liquefied natural gas produced in the floating processing facility can be transported to the floating storage facility.

[0012] The floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above may further include an additional floating storage facility, which is located adjacent to the floating storage facility and is moored to the seabed or land by a third floating mooring section. This additional floating facility has a tank for storing the liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit on a third floating structure. This configuration allows for an increase in the amount of liquefied natural gas that can be stored.

[0013] In the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above, the floating treatment facility is equipped with multiple modules that constitute the liquefaction unit, and when the floating treatment facility is viewed from above, at least one of the multiple modules may occupy 1 / 10 or more of the area on the first floating body where the multiple modules are arranged. This configuration allows for larger modules to constitute the liquefaction unit.

[0014] The method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to this disclosure comprises the steps of: preparing a floating treatment facility equipped with a liquefaction unit for liquefying natural gas on a first floating body; preparing a floating storage facility equipped with a tank for storing liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit on a second floating body; mooring the floating treatment facility to the seabed or land by a first floating mooring section; mooring the floating storage facility to the seabed or land by a second floating mooring section; and connecting the floating treatment facility and the floating storage facility by a transport facility.

[0015] This method allows for the easy installation of floating liquefied natural gas production facilities at locations where natural gas is extracted.

[0016] In the method for constructing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above, the step of preparing the floating processing facility may include the step of adjusting the height of the mounting area of ​​the first floating body on which the liquefaction unit is mounted to the height of the quay where the first floating body is moored, and the step of transporting the liquefaction unit to the mounting area of ​​the first floating body using a self-propelled multi-axle trolley. This step allows the liquefaction unit to be easily mounted on the first floating body.

[0017] In the method for constructing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described above, the step of preparing the floating treatment equipment may include the step of towing the floating treatment equipment by a tugboat from a first location where the liquefaction unit is mounted on the first floating body to a second location where the floating treatment equipment is moored. This step allows the floating treatment equipment to be manufactured at a location separate from the location where the natural gas production facility is installed.

[0018] According to the floating liquefied natural gas production facility and the method for installing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described herein, installation is easily possible.

[0019] Figure 1 is a plan view of the floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a side view of the floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the main steps of the method for installing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to the first embodiment. Figure 4(a) is a diagram showing a comparative example of the process of installing the liquefaction module. Figure 4(b) is a diagram showing the first embodiment of the process of installing the liquefaction module. Figure 5 is a plan view of the floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to the second embodiment. Figure 6 is a plan view of the floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to the third embodiment.

[0020] The floating liquefied natural gas production facility and the method of constructing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described herein will be explained in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0021] <First Embodiment> The floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A obtains liquefied natural gas by liquefying extracted natural gas. The floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A then supplies the liquefied natural gas 92 to a liquefied natural gas carrier 91 equipped with a tank 911 and an engine 912.

[0022] The floating liquefied natural gas (LPG) production facility 1A is installed in locations such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. In other words, the floating liquefied natural gas (LPG) production facility 1A has its main components installed on a floating structure that floats on water. However, it is not necessary for all components of the floating liquefied natural gas (LPG) production facility 1A to be on the water; some components may be installed on land 93. With such a floating liquefied natural gas (LPG) production facility 1A, for example, it is possible to liquefy natural gas extracted from the seabed near land and transport it to a LPG carrier 91. The floating liquefied natural gas (LPG) production facility 1A will be described in detail below, using a configuration installed in a body of water including a location close to land 93, such as a river, as an example.

[0023] The floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A has as its main components a floating processing facility 2, floating storage facilities 3A, 3B, and 3C, and a transport facility 4. Note that if it is not necessary to individually specify the floating storage facilities, they may simply be referred to as "floating storage facility 3". The floating processing facility 2 obtains liquefied natural gas by liquefying extracted natural gas. The transport facility 4 transports the liquefied natural gas from the floating processing facility 2 to the floating storage facility 3. The floating storage facility 3 receives the liquefied natural gas from the floating processing facility 2 and stores the received liquefied natural gas. The floating storage facility 3 then provides the liquefied natural gas to the liquefied natural gas carrier 91.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the floating treatment equipment 2 and the floating storage equipment 3A, 3B, and 3C are located near land 93. This arrangement allows for the processing and storage of natural gas extracted from the seabed gas field 94 close to land 93. The floating treatment equipment 2 and the floating storage equipment 3A, 3B, and 3C are arranged in a vertical line along land 93. This arrangement reduces the width required to install the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A, allowing it to be installed even in narrow bodies of water such as rivers. The layout of the floating treatment equipment 2 and the floating storage equipment 3A, 3B, and 3C is not limited to that shown in Figure 1 and can be freely set according to the conditions of the body of water where the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A is to be installed. In the first and second modified examples described later, different layouts of the floating treatment equipment 2 and the floating storage equipment 3A, 3B, and 3C from those shown in Figure 1 are presented.

[0025] <Floating Body Processing Equipment> The floating body processing equipment 2 comprises a barge 21 (first floating body), a liquefaction unit 22, a processing equipment output unit 23, and a processing equipment mooring unit 24 (first floating body mooring unit). The barge 21 is also called a barge or lighter. The barge 21 is a vessel that does not have an engine for self-propulsion, but it may be equipped with the ability to navigate autonomously.

[0026] The liquefaction unit 22 has functions for several main steps in liquefying natural gas. The natural gas liquefaction steps include a natural gas receiving step, a pretreatment step, a separation step, and a liquefaction step. In the natural gas receiving step, the three phases of gas, liquid, and water are separated. In the pretreatment step, certain substances such as acidic gases and water are removed. In the separation step, substances such as benzene, xylene, and toluene are removed. In the liquefaction step, the natural gas is cooled to minus 162°C using a heat exchanger. Generally, a liquefied natural gas plant includes, in addition to the steps described above, steps for storing and shipping liquefied natural gas. However, the liquefaction unit 22 of this disclosure does not have functions for the storage and shipping steps. The functions for the storage and shipping steps are performed by the floating storage facility 3, not the floating treatment facility 2.

[0027] The liquefaction unit 22 is composed of modules for carrying out several of the processes described above. In other words, the liquefaction unit 22 is made up of one or more modules. Figure 1 illustrates a configuration in which the liquefaction unit 22 is made up of, for example, four modules 221, 222, 223, and 224, but the number of modules that make up the liquefaction unit 22 is not limited to four. The number of modules that make up the liquefaction unit 22 may be one to three, or five or more. For example, Figure 1 shows an receiving module 221 for receiving natural gas, a pre-treatment module 222, a separation module 223, and a liquefaction module 224. The functions of each module 221, 222, 223, and 224 can be appropriately assigned according to the specifications required for each floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A. For example, the function of carrying out multiple processes may be given to one module. Alternatively, the function of carrying out one process may be divided among multiple modules.

[0028] This modularization makes it easier to manufacture the floating body processing equipment 2. Each module is assembled at a factory on land. The completed modules are transported to the quay where the barge 21 is docked and loaded onto the barge 21 using a multi-axle trailer or the like. In other words, there is no need to assemble the liquefaction unit 22 from scratch on the barge 21, and on the barge 21, the work of installing each module 221, 222, 223, and 224 onto the barge 21 and the work of connecting modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 to each other is performed.

[0029] The fewer modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 that make up the liquefaction unit 22, the easier it is to manufacture the floating body processing equipment 2. For example, if the number of modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 is reduced, the number of times the modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 need to be loaded onto the barge 21 will also be reduced, as will the number of times the modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 need to be connected to each other. However, the configuration of the equipment for natural gas liquefaction is sometimes determined by the required specifications. In that case, reducing the number of modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 would lead to increasing the size of each individual module 221, 222, 223, and 224. In the floating body processing equipment 2 of this disclosure, at least one of the multiple modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 may occupy 1 / 10 or more of the area (barge mounting area 21a) on the barge 21 where the multiple modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 are arranged.

[0030] Here, the floating body processing facility 2 has the function of liquefying natural gas, but it does not have the function of storing the liquefied natural gas obtained through liquefaction. In other words, the floating body processing facility 2 is not equipped with a tank for storing liquefied natural gas. The floating body processing facility 2 sequentially sends the obtained liquefied natural gas to the floating body storage facility 3 via the transport facility 4 without storing it.

[0031] The processing equipment output unit 23 sends liquefied natural gas 92 to the outside of the floating processing equipment 2. The first transport connection end 41 of the transport equipment 4 is detachably connected to the processing equipment output unit 23. The processing equipment output unit 23 in this disclosure has only the function of a connection interface with the transport equipment 4 and does not have the function of independently sending out liquefied natural gas. In other words, the processing equipment output unit 23 does not have a device such as a pump as a component. However, the processing equipment output unit 23 may have a device such as a pump as a component if necessary. Furthermore, the processing equipment output unit 23 has a distinctive positional relationship with the storage equipment input unit 33 of the floating storage equipment 3, which will be described later, but the details will be described later.

[0032] The treatment equipment mooring section 24 maintains the position of the barge 21. One end of the treatment equipment mooring section 24 is fixed to the barge 21, and the other end is fixed to the land 93. The other end of the treatment equipment mooring section 24 may be fixed to the seabed instead of the land 93. The relative height of the barge 21 to the land may change depending on the conditions of the water body in which it is installed. Therefore, it is desirable that the treatment equipment mooring section 24 be able to accommodate changes in the relative positional relationship between the barge 21 and the land 93, at least in the vertical direction. For example, the treatment equipment mooring section 24 may be a metal chain.

[0033] <Floating Storage Facility> The floating storage facility 3 comprises a hull 31 (second floating body, third floating body), a tank 32, a storage facility input section 33, a storage facility output section 34, a storage facility mooring section 35 (second floating body mooring section, third floating body mooring section), and an engine 36.

[0034] The hull 31 constituting the floating storage facility 3 of this disclosure is a used liquefied natural gas (LPG) carrier. Since the LPG carrier is equipped with tanks 32, it can be easily used as the floating storage facility 3. Furthermore, when using a used LPG carrier as the floating storage facility 3, modifications such as the addition of loading equipment may be made. Loading arms and flexible hoses can be considered as loading equipment. In the floating LPG production facility 1C of the third embodiment described later (see Figure 6), the loading equipment can be omitted.

[0035] The storage equipment input section 33 is, in detail, a connection point to the floating body processing facility 2 or another floating body storage facility 3. Therefore, the storage equipment input section 33 may have both the function of receiving liquefied natural gas and the function of sending out liquefied natural gas. In other words, when the storage equipment input section 33 receives natural gas, it can be either receiving natural gas from the floating body processing facility 2 or receiving natural gas from another adjacent floating body storage facility 3. In contrast, the storage equipment output section 34 is a connection point to the liquefied natural gas carrier 91. Therefore, the storage equipment output section 34 has the function of sending out liquefied natural gas to the liquefied natural gas carrier 91. In other words, the storage equipment output section 34 is not connected to the floating body processing facility 2 or the other floating body storage facility 3.

[0036] The positional relationship between the floating storage facility 3 and the floating storage facility 2 will now be explained. The positional relationship referred to here is the positional relationship in the height direction between the floating storage facility 2 and the floating storage facility 3. Furthermore, height may be defined based on the water surface 95a, the seabed 95b, or the ground surface of land 93. As shown in Figure 2, overall, the height of the floating storage facility 2 is lower than the height of the floating storage facility 3. For example, when considering the barge 21 of the floating storage facility 2 and the hull 31 of the floating storage facility 3, the height of the barge mounting area 21a set on the main surface of the barge 21 is lower than the height of the deck 31a of the hull 31. Furthermore, the height of the liquefaction unit 22 mounted on the barge 21 may also be lower than the height of the deck 31a of the hull 31, but it is permissible for the height of the liquefaction unit 22 to partially exceed the height H31 of the deck 31a of the hull 31 or the height H32 of the tank 32.

[0037] Furthermore, we consider the height H23 of the output section 23 of the floating body processing equipment 2 and the height H33 of the input section 33 of the floating body storage equipment 3. In this case as well, the height H23 of the output section 23 of the floating body processing equipment 2 is lower than the height H33 of the input section 33 of the floating body storage equipment 3.

[0038] In short, the statement that the height of the floating body processing equipment 2 is lower than the height of the floating body storage equipment 3 means that at least the height of the barge loading area 21a of the barge 21 is lower than the deck 31a of the hull 31. Furthermore, the statement that the height of the floating body processing equipment 2 is lower than the height of the floating body storage equipment 3 may also include, assuming that the relationship between the height of the barge loading area 21a and the height of the deck 31a of the hull 31 is satisfied, the height H22 of the liquefaction unit 22 is lower than the height H31 of the deck 31a of the hull 31 or the height H32 of the tank 32, and the height H23 of the processing equipment output section 23 of the floating body processing equipment 2 is lower than the height H33 of the floating body storage equipment 3.

[0039] The storage equipment mooring section 35 has the same configuration and function as the processing equipment mooring section 24 of the floating body processing equipment 2. Specifically, one end of the storage equipment mooring section 35 is fixed to the hull 31, and the other end of the storage equipment mooring section 35 is fixed to the land 93 or the seabed. The storage equipment mooring section 35 also allows for changes in its relative position to the land 93 or the water surface 95a. An example of the storage equipment mooring section 35 may be a metal chain.

[0040] The transport equipment 4 transports liquefied natural gas from the floating body processing equipment 2 to the floating body storage equipment 3. The transport equipment 4 may also have the function of transporting liquefied natural gas from the first floating body storage equipment 3A to a second floating body storage equipment 3B, which is separate from the first floating body storage equipment 3A. The transport equipment 4 has a first transport connection terminal 41, second transport connection terminals 42a, 42b, and 42c, transport piping 43, and a pump 44. If the aforementioned processing equipment output unit 23 is equipped with a pump, the pump 44 may be omitted.

[0041] The first transport connection end 41 is connected to the processing equipment output section 23 of the floating body processing equipment 2. The second transport connection ends 42a, 42b, and 42c are connected to the storage equipment input sections 33 of the first to third floating body storage facilities 3A, 3B, and 3C, respectively. The transport piping 43 connects the first transport connection end 41 to the second transport connection ends 42a, 42b, and 42c, respectively. An example of the transport piping 43 is a metal pipe or a resin pipe. In the example in Figure 2, the transport piping 43 includes a section 431 located on the water and a section 432 located on land 93. In this case, just as the relative positional relationship between the floating body processing equipment 2 and land 93 can change, the relative positional relationship between the section 431 located on the water and the section 432 located on land 93 can also change. Therefore, the transport piping 43 includes a flexible section to allow for changes in the relative positional relationship between the section 431 located on the water and the section 432 located on land 93. A pump 44 is provided at a predetermined section of the transport piping 43. This pump 44 provides driving force to the liquefied natural gas, enabling the transport of liquefied natural gas from the floating body processing facility 2 to the floating body storage facility 3.

[0042] <Method for installing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility> The method for installing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 3. The method for installing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A mainly consists of the following steps: step S1 for preparing the floating treatment facility 2, step S2 for preparing the floating storage facility 3, step S3 for mooring the floating treatment facility 2, step S4 for mooring the floating storage facility 3, and step S5 for connecting the floating treatment facility 2 and the floating storage facility 3 to each other.

[0043] First, prepare the floating body treatment facility 2 (S1). The step S1 of preparing the floating body treatment facility 2 includes a step S11 of manufacturing the floating body treatment facility 2 and a step S12 of towing the floating body treatment facility 2. That is, the preparation of the floating body treatment facility 2 includes the manufacturing of the floating body treatment facility 2 and the towing of the floating body treatment facility 2. Therefore, the location where the floating body treatment facility 2 is manufactured (the first location) is different from the location where it is installed (the second location). For example, the location where natural gas is mined may not be suitable for the assembly of a large-scale plant in terms of the natural environment and manufacturing equipment. In such a case, a method of manufacturing the floating body treatment facility 2 at a location with complete manufacturing equipment and then towing it to the location where the production equipment 1A is to be installed is effective.

[0044] Specifically, first, place the barge 21 horizontally against the quay wall 96. Next, adjust the height of the barge mounting area 21a of the barge 21 to match the quay wall 96 (S111). The adjustment of the height here does not mean that the barge mounting area 21a exactly coincides with the quay wall 96. This adjustment means that the height difference between the barge mounting area 21a and the quay wall 96 is reduced to such an extent that the module 22M can be transported by the self-propelled multi-axis cart 97 described below. Next, use the self-propelled multi-axis cart 97 to move the module 22M to the barge mounting area 21a (S112). In the step of moving the module 22M to the barge mounting area 21a (S112), instead of the self-propelled multi-axis cart 97, a device, equipment, etc. that does not require substantial vertical ascent and descent may be used.

[0045] Here, we focus on the movement path of module 22M when moving module 22M to the barge loading area 21a. For example, Figure 4(a) shows a comparative example of the operation of loading module 22M. In the comparative example, the liquefaction unit 22 is installed on a hull 31 that has a tank 32. Since the hull 31 has a tank 32 inside, the deck 31a is at a higher position than the quay 96. This difference in height is difficult to resolve by adjustment. Therefore, in order to move module 22M from the quay 96 to the deck 31a, module 22M is moved vertically upward using a crane (not shown), etc. Next, module 22M is moved horizontally. Then, module 22M is moved vertically downward. Thus, when loading module 22M onto a hull 31 equipped with a tank 32, vertical upward and downward movement is required. Consequently, the number of steps for movement increases. Furthermore, limitations on the size and weight of module 22M are imposed due to the limitations of lifting equipment such as cranes. In other words, the liquefaction unit cannot be composed of large, few modules; instead, it becomes necessary to compose the liquefaction unit with many small modules.

[0046] In contrast, the method of this disclosure shown in Figure 4(b) does not require vertical ascent and descent. In other words, in this disclosure, the module 22M can be mounted mainly by horizontal movement. Since vertical ascent and descent are not required, the restrictions imposed on the size and weight of the module 22M are relaxed. Therefore, it becomes possible to configure the liquefaction unit 22 with a large and small number of modules 22M. It should be noted that the method is not limited to transport by a self-propelled multi-axle trolley 97, and equivalent means that do not require vertical ascent and descent may be used.

[0047] Then, one end of the processing equipment mooring section 24 is connected to a predetermined location on the barge 21. The other end of the processing equipment mooring section 24 is connected to a predetermined location at the production equipment installation site (the location where the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A will be installed). For example, if the processing equipment mooring section 24 is a chain, it is mounted on the barge 21 in a wound state.

[0048] Next, the floating treatment facility 2 is towed to the production facility installation location (S12). As described above, the barge 21 that constitutes the floating treatment facility 2 may or may not have the ability to navigate independently. When it does not have the ability to navigate independently, the floating treatment facility 2 is transported from the manufacturing location to the production facility installation location by a towing vessel.

[0049] Next, the floating storage facility 3 is prepared (S2). The process S2 of preparing the floating storage facility 3 includes a process S21 of manufacturing the floating storage facility 3 and a process S22 of moving the floating storage facility 3. Similar to the floating treatment facility 2, the location where the floating storage facility 3 is installed (production facility installation location) is different from the location where it is renovated. First, the floating storage facility 3 is moved to the location where it is renovated. Since the hull 31 of the floating storage facility 3 was originally a liquefied natural gas carrier, it can navigate independently. Then, the renovation work necessary for using the liquefied natural gas carrier as the floating storage facility 3 is carried out.

[0050] In the above description, the process S1 of preparing the floating treatment facility 2 was described first, and the process S2 of preparing the floating storage facility 3 was described afterwards. However, the order of implementing these processes S1 and S2 is not limited to this order. Specifically, the process S2 of preparing the floating storage facility 3 may be implemented before preparing the process S1 of preparing the floating treatment facility 2. Also, the process S1 of preparing the floating treatment facility 2 and the process S2 of preparing the floating storage facility 3 may be carried out in parallel.

[0051] Next, the floating treatment facility 2 is moored (S3). The other end of the treatment facility mooring portion 24 provided in the floating treatment facility 2 arranged at a predetermined position at the production facility installation location is connected. The connection destination is the land 93 or the seabed 95b. Similarly, the floating storage facility 3 is moored (S4). The other end of the treatment facility mooring portion 24 provided in the floating storage facility 3 arranged at a predetermined position at the production facility installation location is connected. The connection destination is the land 93 or the seabed 95b.

[0052] The order of the four steps S1 to S4 described above can be appropriately changed depending on the location where the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A is installed. For example, the floating treatment facility 2 may be moored (S4) after the floating treatment facility 2 has been prepared (S1) and before the floating storage facility 3 is moved to a predetermined location (S22).

[0053] Then, the floating body processing equipment 2 and the floating body storage equipment 3 are connected to each other (S5). The first transport connection end 41 of the transport equipment 4 is connected to the processing equipment output section 23 of the floating body processing equipment 2. Furthermore, the second transport connection end 42 of the transport equipment 4 is connected to the storage equipment input section 33 of the floating body storage equipment 3. As a result, a route is established for transporting liquefied natural gas from the liquefaction unit 22 of the floating body processing equipment 2 to the tank 32 of the floating body storage equipment 3. In this step S5, an example of connecting the floating body processing equipment 2 and the floating body storage equipment 3 to each other is shown, but for example, a step of connecting the first floating body storage equipment 3A to the adjacent second floating body storage equipment 3B may also be included.

[0054] After completing the above steps S1 to S5, a floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A can be constructed.

[0055] <Effects> The floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A comprises a floating processing facility 2 in which a liquefaction unit 22 for liquefying natural gas is provided in the barge loading area 21a of a barge 21 moored to the seabed 95b or land 93 by a processing facility mooring section 24, and the floating processing facility 2 does not have a tank 32 for storing the liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit 22; a floating storage facility 3 arranged adjacent to the floating processing facility 2 and equipped with a tank 32 for storing liquefied natural gas in a hull 31 moored to the seabed 95b or land 93 by a storage facility mooring section 35; and a transport facility 4 for transporting liquefied natural gas.

[0056] In this floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A, the barge 21 that constitutes the floating treatment facility 2 does not have a tank 32 for storing liquefied natural gas; the tank 32 is located in a floating storage facility 3 separate from the floating treatment facility 2. With this configuration, the height of the barge 21 that constitutes the floating treatment facility 2 can be reduced, making it easier to install the liquefaction unit 22 that constitutes the floating treatment facility 2. As a result, the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A can be easily installed at the site where natural gas is extracted.

[0057] The floating body processing equipment 2 has a processing equipment output section 23 to which one end of the transport equipment 4 is connected. The floating body storage equipment 3 has a storage equipment input section 33 to which the other end of the transport equipment 4 is connected. The height of the processing equipment output section 23 is lower than the height of the storage equipment input section 33. This configuration also eliminates the need to unnecessarily increase the height of the floating body processing equipment 2.

[0058] The transport equipment 4 includes a portion that passes through land 93. With this configuration, the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A can be installed near land 93 in a body of water.

[0059] The floating storage facility 3 may include a storage facility input section 33 to which a transport facility 4 is connected for transporting liquefied natural gas sent from the liquefaction unit 22 to a tank, and a storage facility output section 34 for transferring the liquefied natural gas stored in the tank 32 to a liquefied natural gas carrier 91. With this configuration, liquefied natural gas produced in the floating processing facility 2 can be transported to the floating storage facility 3.

[0060] The floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A described above is further equipped with an additional floating storage facility 3B, which is located adjacent to the floating storage facility 3 and has a tank 32 for storing liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit 22 on a hull 31 that is moored to the seabed 95b or land 93 by a storage facility mooring section 35. This configuration makes it possible to increase the amount of liquefied natural gas that can be stored.

[0061] The floating body processing equipment 2 is equipped with multiple modules 221, 222, and 223 that constitute the liquefaction unit 22. When the floating body processing equipment 2 is viewed from above, at least one of the multiple modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 occupies more than 1 / 10 of the area on the barge 21 where the multiple modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 are arranged. This configuration allows for larger modules 221, 222, 223, and 224 that constitute the liquefaction unit 22.

[0062] A method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A includes the steps of: preparing a floating processing facility 2, which is provided on a barge 21 with a liquefaction unit 22 for liquefying natural gas; preparing a floating storage facility 3, which is provided on a hull 31 with a tank 32 for storing the liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit 22; mooring the floating processing facility 2 to the seabed 95b or land 93 by a processing facility mooring section 24; mooring the floating storage facility 3 to the seabed 95b or land 93 by a storage facility mooring section 35; and connecting the floating processing facility 2 for liquefying natural gas and the floating storage facility 3 by a transport facility 4.

[0063] This method allows for easy installation of the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A at the production facility site.

[0064] Step S1 for preparing the floating body processing equipment 2 may include step S211 of adjusting the height of the mounting area of ​​the barge 21 on which the liquefaction unit 22 is mounted to the height of the quay 96 on which the barge 21 is moored, and step S222 of transporting the liquefaction unit 22 to the barge mounting area 21a using a self-propelled multi-axle carriage 97. This step allows the liquefaction unit 22 to be easily mounted on the barge 21.

[0065] Step S1 for preparing the floating treatment equipment 2 may include step S12 of towing the floating treatment equipment 2 by a tugboat from a first location where the liquefaction unit 22 is mounted on the barge 21 to a second location where the floating treatment equipment 2 is moored. This step allows the floating treatment equipment 2 to be manufactured at a location separate from where natural gas is extracted.

[0066] The floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A and the method of providing the floating liquefied natural gas production facility described herein can be implemented in various forms, including the above-described form, with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Furthermore, it is possible to use the technical matters described above to create a configuration different from the first embodiment. In addition, the configurations of the second and third embodiments described below may be used in appropriate combinations. For example, the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1A of this disclosure offers a high degree of freedom in the layout of its main components, the floating treatment facility 2 and the floating storage facility 3. Below, the second and third embodiments will describe arrangement examples different from the above-described embodiments.

[0067] <Second Embodiment> Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1B. As shown in Figure 5, the floating treatment facility 2A and the floating storage facility 3A may be arranged side by side. Similarly, the floating treatment facility 2B and the floating storage facility 3C may be arranged side by side. For example, in the example shown in Figure 5, the floating treatment facility 2A and the floating storage facility 3A are arranged in that order from the side closer to the land 93. When this arrangement is adopted, the piping from the floating treatment facility 2A to the floating storage facility 3A does not pass through land. Furthermore, the equipment such as pumps that were installed on land 93 in the first embodiment are installed in at least one of the floating treatment facility 2A or the floating storage facility 3A. Also, when this arrangement is adopted, the floating treatment facility 2A is moored to land 93, but the floating storage facility 3A is moored to the seabed 95b. Furthermore, additional floating body storage equipment 3B may be provided vertically in addition to the floating body processing equipment 2A and floating body storage equipment 3A which are arranged side by side. This additional floating body storage equipment 3B may be arranged vertically in relation to the floating body processing equipment 2A.

[0068] <Third Embodiment> Figure 6 shows a third embodiment of the floating liquefied natural gas production facility 1C. As shown in Figure 6, the floating processing facility 2 and the floating storage facility 3 may be arranged so as to flank a pier 98. Part of this pier 98 is connected to land 93, and the pier 98 may be equipped with facilities 99 for transporting liquefied natural gas. The floating processing facility 2 is located on one long side of the pier 98, and the floating storage facility 3 is located on the other long side of the pier 98. The liquefied natural gas carrier 91, which receives liquefied natural gas from the floating storage facility 3, is moored on the short side of the pier 98 and receives the liquefied natural gas.

[0069] 1A, 1B, 1C... Floating liquefied natural gas production facility, 2, 2A... Floating processing facility, 3, 3A, 3B... Floating storage facility, 4... Transport facility, 21... Barge (first floating body), 22... Liquefaction unit, 22M, 221, 222, 223, 224... Module, 23... Processing facility output section, 31... Hull (second floating body), 32... Tank, 33... Storage facility input section, 34... Storage facility output section, 41... First transport connection end, 42, 42a, 42b, 42c... Second transport connection end, 43... Transport piping, 44... Pump, 91... Liquefied natural gas carrier, 92... Liquefied natural gas, 93... Land, 95b... Seabed, 96... Quay.

Claims

1. A floating body processing facility comprising: a floating body processing facility having a liquefaction unit for liquefying natural gas installed on the main surface of a first floating body moored to the seabed or land by a first floating body mooring section, the floating body processing facility not having a tank for storing the liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit; a floating body storage facility arranged adjacent to the floating body processing facility and having a tank for storing the liquefied natural gas installed on a second floating body moored to the seabed or land by a second floating body mooring section; and a transport facility connecting the liquefaction unit and the tank for transporting the liquefied natural gas.

2. The liquefied natural gas production facility according to claim 1, wherein the height of the first floating body on which the liquefaction unit is installed is lower than the height of the second floating body on which the tank is installed.

3. The liquefied natural gas production facility according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the floating material processing facility has a processing facility output section to which one end of the transport equipment is connected, the floating material storage facility has a storage facility input section to which the other end of the transport equipment is connected, and the height of the processing facility output section is lower than the height of the storage facility input section.

4. The liquefied natural gas production facility according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transport facility includes a portion that passes through land.

5. The floating storage facility comprises a storage facility input section to which the transport equipment is connected for transporting the liquefied natural gas discharged from the liquefaction unit to the tank, and a storage facility output section for transferring the liquefied natural gas stored in the tank to a liquefied natural gas carrier, as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The liquefied natural gas production facility according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an additional floating storage facility located adjacent to the floating storage facility and having a tank for storing the liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit on a third floating body moored to the seabed or land by a third floating body mooring section.

7. The liquefied natural gas production facility according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the floating body processing facility is equipped with a plurality of modules constituting the liquefaction unit, and when the floating body processing facility is viewed from above, at least one of the plurality of modules occupies 1 / 10 or more of the area on the first floating body in which the plurality of modules are arranged.

8. A method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility, comprising the steps of: preparing a floating treatment facility equipped with a liquefaction unit for liquefying natural gas on a first floating body; preparing a floating storage facility equipped with a tank for storing liquefied natural gas obtained by the liquefaction unit on a second floating body; mooring the floating treatment facility to the seabed or land by a first floating mooring section; mooring the floating storage facility to the seabed or land by a second floating mooring section; and connecting the floating treatment facility and the floating storage facility by a transport facility.

9. A method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to claim 8, wherein the steps for preparing the floating processing facility include: adjusting the height of the mounting area of ​​the first floating body on which the liquefaction unit is mounted to the height of the quay where the first floating body is moored; and transporting the liquefaction unit to the mounting area of ​​the first floating body using a self-propelled multi-axle trolley.

10. A method for providing a floating liquefied natural gas production facility according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the step of preparing the floating treatment facility includes towing the floating treatment facility by a tugboat from a first location on which the liquefaction unit is mounted on the first floating body to a second location where the floating treatment facility is moored.

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