Processing Plant Outage & Upgrade on a Fast-Track Schedule

Processing Plant Outage & Upgrade on a Fast-Track Schedule

Location:

Texas

Project Summary:

A natural gas infrastructure company contacted Audubon to upgrade its natural gas processing plant in Texas. The plant required substantial modifications to accommodate a new offshore gas stream from the Gulf of Mexico. An outage was planned to integrate piping tie-ins and to replace structures and equipment. For the incoming pipeline, shutdown time was limited to 25 days. To meet the new capacity, upgrades included a new product stabilizer, compression equipment, pressure vessels, and meter skids, as well as modifications to existing cryogenic facilities.

Audubon understood that preventing additional downtime and cost was key to a successful project outcome. Our integrated engineering, procurement, fabrication, and construction (EPFC) services team collaborated with the client to plan the outage, design the facility modifications, and replace equipment.

During the outage, Audubon demolished the existing pressure vessel and installed a larger one, including piping, piles, supports, and instrumentation and electrical. The team also modified molecular sieve beds to allow for cryogenic bypass and gas blend, implemented new controls, upgraded the turboexpander, and inspected the demethanizer tower. With new precise, reliable operation, the cryogenic facility started up with no equipment leak.

Outside of the outage’s scope, Opero Energy, an Audubon affiliate, designed and fabricated a new, modular, two-product stabilizer unit and associated modules for the plant.

The thorough planning and safe, seamless execution by the Audubon team put the plant back online on schedule to more than double its original processing capacity. Read more details in the full case study here.