Welcome to the big time

Largest full-load string test for world’s largest LNG Plant

This story began in 2002 with our first feasibility study for a Frame 9 full-load test. At that time it was a lofty goal, even on paper. But our client had faith in our vision – and in the proven capabilities of our 1-million square-foot Massa facility.

The increasing demand for larger train capacities is stretching technology – so we expanded our team to create a unique facility. We started this campaign in 2005 with the first Frame 9 Supertrain for Qatargas 2.

Qatargas 3 will produce 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day with just one GE Oil & Gas Supertrain driven by a 130 MW Frame 9 gas turbine.

In preparation to run Train 6 full-load tests with a 60 MW helper and start-up VFD, we made a number of key facility upgrades: increasing heat rejection capacity, adding a new water cooling system up to 130 MW, new natural gas supply up to 50,000 sm3/h, and a new electric power station with capacity from 132 kV - 60 MW.

Today, in a continued effort to maximize economies of scale for our LNG customers, we are undertaking a feasibility study to increase Frame 9 Supertrain capacity to 150 MW. Tests performed so far have produced exceptional results – reaching ~110 MW in a compression train full pressure, full-load string test. This is the highest power for a single process compressor train ever achieved in the LNG industry.