Project Synopsis
Work with both a natural gas producer and an ammonia technology provider to develop a preliminary process design package and cost estimate for a small scale ammonia process using natural gas as a feedstock.
Project Summary
PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND COST ESTIMATES for SMALL SCALE AMMONIA PRODUCTION FROM NATURAL GAS
The client, an independent U.S. oil and natural gas producer, contracted Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) to provide a preliminary design study for small scale ammonia production from natural gas. The primary purpose of the project was to perform preliminary process design work for a small scale ammonia plant and generate preliminary capital (CAPEX) and operating cost estimates (OPEX) for such a plant. PROCESS was requested to evaluate the process technology of a particular licensed technology provider who was in the process of developing an efficient small scale ammonia production unit. Among other unit operations, the process included a hydrogen reformer, shift converter, methanation, ammonia synthesis reactor, and compression. PROCESS worked with the technology provider to investigate a plant of the size and configuration required by the client.
The following tasks were performed by PROCESS:
- Process design basis development, which involved the development of the baseline information that governed subsequent process design tasks.
- Preliminary process simulation model development, which involved the development of a comprehensive, detailed mass and energy balance for the ammonia process being evaluated.
- Preliminary PFD and process description development by utilizing the mass and energy balance information generated and preparing a preliminary PFD for the ammonia process being investigated.
- Preliminary equipment list preparation, which involved the development of an equipment list that showed the new major pieces of equipment or systems that will be required for the process.
- Preliminary capital cost estimate preparation, which involved the development of a Rough Order of Magnitude estimate for the process based on design information generated during preceding tasks.
- Estimated cost of production development, which involved PROCESS utilizing the mass and energy balance information to develop estimated production costs for the ammonia process being evaluated.
- Project summary report preparation, which involved PROCESS assembling and conveying the project deliverables, information, findings, and any comments or recommendations in a summary letter report submitted to the client.
Industry Type
- Agrochemicals Manufacturing
Utilized Skills
- Preliminary process design
- Process technology evaluation