Tyumen Gas Processing Facilities

Based on Fluor's proven expertise in the extraction of liquid hydrocarbons from natural gas, Japan Steel Works (JSW) contracted Fluor to help build three gas processing plants in the Soviet Union. Fluor performed design, engineering, critical equipment procurement and start-up services.

Fluor's turbo-expander process, which in 1980 had been employed in 22 plants around the world, was used to recover propane and heavier hydrocarbons from the gas. A total of five trains, each processing approximately 250 million standard cubic feet per day of feed gas, were incorporated in the three plants.

Each plant consists of facilities to compress, dehydrate and recover propane-plus hydrocarbons from Plant 1, 4x109; Plant 2, 4x109; and Plant 3, 2x109 standard cubic meters per year of associated gas from Tyumen oil production. The plants include all processing facilities and utility systems for operation except for power generation, along with a 50,000- cubic-meter storage tank for the liquid product.

Client's Challenge

The three plants are located in the same region, with no more than 200 kilometers separating any two plants. Soil characteristics and site elevations do not differ appreciably from site to site, thus complete interchangeability of identical trains was made possible. Foundation and civil design and all construction were performed by the U.S.S.R.

JSW's role included financial responsibility, equipment and commodity purchasing, transportation and a share of construction consultation services. Fluor Daniel Williams Brothers procured the turbo expanders, which were available only in the U.S. market. All other equipment and materials was procured by JSW.

Fluor's Solution

Fluor Daniel Williams Brothers designed and built the world's first commercial turbo expander plant in 1963, becoming the leader in turbo expander technology, which is now the industry standard for removing hydrocarbon liquids from natural gas and refinery streams.

The project involved three phases. The first phase was a process selection study and an approximate cost estimate. Phase II was a more detailed engineering study with major equipment specification and cost estimation. Upon award of the contract, Phase III detailed final design. During the course of each phase, meetings were held either in the Soviet Union, United States or Japan to review the data, coordinate the work and reach agreement on major project decisions.

Fluor's role was to assist JSW in working with the U.S.S.R. Machinoimport and Ministry of Oil personnel in defining the scope of the work to be completed. Fluor then performed all project planning and management, process and detailed engineering design for each phase, prepared all specifications and drawings, purchased specific equipment and material not available in Japan, wrote start-up and operating instructions, approved equipment selection, trained U.S.S.R. personnel in operation and plant management, provided construction advisors onsite and assisted in starting plant operations.

Conclusion

In August of 1976, Fluor Engineers Incorporated, Houston Division, began work for JSW to provide engineering, partial procurement, check out and start up services for three gas processing plants in the U.S.S.R. Engineering for this project was completed in August of 1978.

Plant 1 consisted of two identical trains of processing facilities designed to recover NGL hydrocarbons for 2x109 normal cubic meters of associated natural gas. Construction of Plant 3 consisted of a single train of the same design and was started first, reaching completion in September of 1979. Plant 1 was completed in November 1980. Plant 2 consisted of two trains identical with Plant One and was completed in February 1981. The combined value of the plants approached $350,000,000.