New MEG injection system with a seabed storage tank assisted by ship transportation

Abstract

This study develops a new concept for a mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) injection system with ship-based transportation to provide an alternative to conventional MEG injection systems with pipeline-based transportation. An economic analysis is performed to prove the feasibility of the suggested concept, which consists of a seabed storage tank, MEG carrier, and a floater. A novel pressure-balancing concept is presented for application in the seabed storage tank in which seawater can both enter and exit so the internal and external tank pressures are balanced. The seabed storage tank consists of a storage unit, ballast unit, and seawater cleaning unit. An assessment of the economic feasibility of the proposed concept is performed, revealing that it is economically feasible for shipping distances greater than 200 km. Sensitivity studies demonstrate that a decrease in the shipping fuel costs significantly decreases the threshold shipping distance, but a decrease in the production rate increases the threshold shipping distance.