Elba Liquefaction Project : First unit of LNG export project in Georgia begins commercial service

Kinder Morgan and EIG Global Energy Partners have commissioned the first of ten movable modular liquefaction system trains of the nearly $2 billion Elba Liquefaction Project, an LNG export project in Georgia, US.

The LNG export facility in Georgia has been built at an existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal called Elba Terminal located near Savannah at Elba Island in Chatham County. In the past, the Elba Terminal served as an import-only terminal and will now serve as a liquefaction unit with export capability after some modifications.

The existing Elba facilities will be modified to include compression for vapor handling along with addition of new pumps for loading the LNG on vessels for export.

Construction on the Elba LNG export project began in November 2016.

Location of the Elba Liquefaction Project

Elba Liquefaction Project : The Elba Island regasification terminal near Savannah, GA, site of Kinder Morgan’s LNG expansion project. Photo courtesy of Kinder Morgan (PRNewsFoto/IHI E&C)

The Elba Liquefaction Project is projected to have nearly 2.5 million tonnes per year of LNG for export, which is equivalent to about 350,000 Mcf per day of natural gas. Elba Liquefaction Company, a joint venture between Kinder Morgan and EIG Global Energy Partners (EIG), has been carrying out the LNG export project.

Kinder Morgan said that with the first liquefaction facility of the LNG export project in Georgia now operational, the company is now earning nearly 70% of the estimated total daily revenue of the liquefaction units.

Norman Holmes – Kinder Morgan Natural Gas South Region President said: “This is a great milestone that was achieved with an exemplary safety record. It is also an important step for the United States as the country becomes a key energy exporter.”

The Elba Liquefaction Project is being carried out in two phases. The first phase of the LNG export project will involve the installation of half-a-dozen liquefaction units with a combined production capacity of 210 million cubic feet (MMcf) per day of LNG.

The second phase of the LNG export project in Georgia will see the installation of the remaining four liquefaction units having a combined production capacity of 140 MMcf per day of LNG.

Kinder Morgan said that startup activities on the second and third liquefaction units are in progress, while units four through six are undergoing commissioning. Construction on the remaining liquefaction units of the Elba LNG export project is almost completed, said the energy infrastructure company.

All the 10 MMLS trains will be using Shell proprietary technology.

The Elba Liquefaction Project is supported by a 20-year contract with Royal Dutch Shell which has subscribed to the entire capacity of the LNG export project in Georgia.