Technology Review of Natural Gas Liquefaction Processes

Due to the increasing demand for natural gas in the world today, transportation of natural gas from different parts of the world has become a necessity. Liquefying the natural gas provides a safer and cheaper alternative for transportation and also increases its storage capabilities. However, it has been accounting for the highest operating cost if compared to the other chain of the industry. Hence liquefaction process has been a key area that constantly in need for development so as to save cost and increase LNG plant capacity through production, which these are, also the objectives to this research. This paper review for the studies cover the development of LNG technologies, the cost items that affects the overall cost consumption of the plant, the operating parameters in liquefaction process, equipments’ efficiency and also the process line-up. Studies had been done on several parameters that influence the process efficiency and lead to wide difference in the production of LNG in a plant. These include the tube side design pressure, end flash quantity, temperature approach on main condenser, compressor efficiency, LPG recovery and also liquefaction technologies. Nevertheless, further studies and in depth understanding on the fundamentals of liquefaction process is still required in order to develop innovative methods to further increase the capacity, efficiency and consequently the production of LNG in a LNG plant.