The Woodfibre LNG export facility is a little closer to taking its final shape after four new specialized liquefied natural gas (LNG) modules arrived at its project site on Howe Sound.
The arrival marks a halfway point in the construction of the US$8.8-billion facility.
The modules arrived from overseas by a heavy-lift vessel after an approximately two-week journey from Qingdao, China.
The modules include two pipe rack sections, a boil-off gas compressor module, and a flare knock-out drums module, according to a Sept. 2 news release from the company.
The two pipe rack modules weigh 333 tonnes—equal to 28 full-size school buses—and 171 tonnes, respectively, according to company spokesperson Sean Beardow.
“The boil-off gas compressor helps with the capture of natural gas that re-vapourizes—boils off—and its re-injection back into the process to be re-liquefied into LNG,” the release states.
“Flare knock-out drums are designed to protect the facility’s flare system by separating any liquids from gases set to be flared.”
The boil-off gas compressor module weighs in at 2,670 tonnes, which is equal to about 1,780 mid-sized cars.
The flare knock-out drums module comes in at 1,796 tonnes, equal to about 22,450 average adults if they each weighed 80 kilograms.
Three tugs were involved in helping the 173-metre MV BigLift Baffin—which was built in 2016 and sails under the Netherlands flag—successfully dock at Woodfibre’s marine offloading facility, Beardow said.
“The arrival of new modules is another sign of the momentum we are carrying into the second half of construction,” said Luke Schauerte, CEO of Woodfibre LNG, in the release.
When operational, the facility is slated to produce 2.1 million tonnes of LNG for export per year.
Completion of the project is set for 2027.
