Third process line of the Amur GPP in its pre-commissioning phase

May 26, 2022 09:45

All equipment items have already been installed, and pipeline insulation has been completed. Functional tests of all units and individual testing of the rotating equipments using inert media are in progress.

NGL/NRU and Helium Concentrate Production Unit is dominant for each process line of the Amur GPP. Gas separation units are visible from afar because of their tall columns. For instance, the demethaniser length is 88 meters and its assembled weight is about one thousand tons. Nearby are lower nitrogen rejection and ethane extraction columns. Natural gas supply into these columns for separation of valuable cuts is provided by the compressor shop (it consists of two expanders and a heat pump compressor).

During pre-commissioning, all connections are checked for their tightness. It is also important to clean and drain the units and the pipelines in an efficient way after the erection activities. Dirt, dust, and foreign objects can cause damage to the equipment when gas is supplied under pressure. Commissioning professionals perform centering of the rotating equipment and the accuracy of which determines the operation period and correct functioning of the entire unit, and many other processes. Functional tests of the process systems are carried out simultaneously in the central control room for checking their coordination in automatic mode. This process is extremely important for a modern fully-automated plant. Numerous professionals of Gazprom Pererabotka Blagoveshchensk, the owner, NIPIGAS JSC, the general contractor, equipment suppliers and experts are taking part it theses activities. Each of these tests can take from 40 minutes to three full days. For instance, isolation of the gas separation unit (entering the safe island mode) looks like a simple pressing of a single button on the remote control by the operator, but at the same time, about 100 actuators are being triggered, and each of them needs to be checked in advance. It is only after pre-commissioning that the process line will be ready for further tests with the feed gas supply for reaching the normal process mode to ensure guaranteed quality performance.