Intelligent technologies help improve the quality and efficiency of LNG operation and maintenance

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Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is an important clean energy source, and its significance has become increasingly prominent against the backdrop of the \"dual carbon\" goals. However, the level of storage and transportation technologies represents a key bottleneck restricting the development of this industry. On March 31, at the 6th Conference on the Management and Operation of LNG Storage and Transportation Facilities, reporters learned that the degree of localization of LNG storage and transportation facilities in China has seen a significant increase at present ； Thanks to intelligent systems, the construction and operation efficiency of LNG receiving stations has been significantly improved. Yin Weibing, a professor at China University of Petroleum, introduced the \"one-button start/stop line and advanced control technology solution.\" By enabling one-button start/stop and one-button startup of key equipment, as well as implementing advanced pressure control, the process was upgraded from manual operation for confirmation to automatic confirmation, automatic value setting, and automatic adjustment by the system, thereby significantly improving labor efficiency. According to calculations, based on the total man-hours consumed by all personnel in control rooms and on-site positions, starting each device on average can save 0.94 man-hours; starting one production line for external output can save 3.7 man-hours, while starting all devices within a station can save 18.8 man-hours. The one-click startup feature increases efficiency by more than 35%. Currently, this technical solution has been deployed in LNG projects in Beihai, Hainan, and Dalian. **Ma Rongwu, a senior engineer at Shenzhen Natural Gas Co., Ltd. of the Pipeline Network Group, pointed out that the control systems of domestic LNG receiving stations face two major challenges: first, old software is not compatible with new systems; second, the risks associated with spare parts and maintenance are increasing day by day. To address these issues, he introduced the technology of \"control system virtualization\"; by creating a management environment tailored for new hardware, it is possible for older control system software to run stably on new devices without any modifications, thereby avoiding production disruptions and additional costs. In the view of Guo Xiaoya, deputy director of the Smart Gas Center at China North Engineering Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., the direction for the intelligent development of LNG stations lies in equipment self-diagnosis, risk early warning, intelligent decision-making, and predictive maintenance. The company has also developed several related platforms to enable intelligent inspections of these stations as well as their digital transformation. Wang Yachun, a senior engineer at Western Pipeline Company of the Pipeline Network Group, shared practical application cases of intelligent inspection systems. The company makes use of the existing station locations around the pipelines that are located on the utility poles; it installs high-definition cameras at high positions on these poles to create monitoring points. By combining these cameras with specific system settings, it is possible to carry out continuous monitoring of the oil and gas pipelines, which significantly reduces the costs associated with having personnel on site for inspections. In addition, several experts present also mentioned that the proportion of domestically produced key LNG equipment and materials in our country has increased significantly. In the field of LNG tank gauges, Liu Zhong, deputy general manager of Beijing Junyou Xinye Technology Co., Ltd., said that the company’s magnetic coupling transmission technology, as well as contactless power supply and communication technologies, enable intrinsic safety in oil and gas chambers while preventing wear on slip rings; these technologies have been applied in various LNG projects. Focusing on the clean energy attributes of LNG, Lin Xiangyu, General Manager of Hezong (Xi’an) Energy Co., Ltd., shared advanced technologies for optimizing equipment and processes aimed at energy savings and emission reduction during the compression, storage, and transportation of LNG. Long Zhixiong, former head of the Refining Safety Inspection Team at Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical; Ma Rongwu, senior engineer at Endress+Hauser (China) Automation Co., Ltd.; Jia Qiyue, senior engineer at China Global Engineering Co., Ltd.’s Beijing branch; and Wang Ruifeng, chief engineer at Shanghai Hetu Engineering Co., Ltd., shared their experiences in areas such as emergency management related to LNG storage and transportation, tank farm construction, standard setting, and automated control, based on the actual production practices of enterprises.