Core processing units being installed at LNG Canada site

The LNG Canada site in Kitimat has begun its “going vertical” stage after receiving three hefty pieces of equipment last week.

Crews spent the week of June 7th offloading a cryogenic heat exchanger (MCHE) and two precooler units, weighing in at 937 tonnes.

After arriving at the new material offloading facility (MOF) in Kitimat Harbour, the equipment was placed on self-propelled transporters to the main construction area. The units moved up three kilometres along the project site’s new hauling road.

“Taking delivery of our first main cryogenic heat exchanger and precoolers is another significant milestone for the LNG Canada project, and represents a number of firsts for us,” said LNG Canada CEO Peter Zebedee in a statement.

The MCHE unit is the first of two to be installed at the site and is approximately 50 metres in length. Once installed, the unit will be among the most visible components at the facility, said LNG Canada in a statement.

The MCHEs, also referred to as the “heart” of an LNG facility, liquefies natural gas. Once installed, gas enters an MCHE near its base and exits at a cooled state of minus 160 Celsius. The liquified gas is then piped to a storage tank and loaded onto specialized LNG carriers for transport.

The second MCHE unit is expected to arrive later this year with two more precoolers.

“It’s our first opportunity to receive critical infrastructure at our new material offloading facility, and our first heavy equipment transport along our new haul road to our main construction site. Thanks to the thousands of highly-skilled Canadians who are working on our project, we’re making tremendous progress in 2021, and we’ll be reaching more major milestones, safely, in the weeks and months to come.”

The aluminum equipment was assembled in Germany by Ireland-based Linde plc.