GE to upgrade gas turbines and compressors for gas re-injection plant in Abu Dhabi

The Asab Gas Development (AGD) plant is owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and managed and operated by Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Ltd. (GASCO).

The upgraded AGD plant is being designed to produce 6200 tons per day of NGL from the Asab gas field. The EPC contractor for the project is Eastern Bechtel Co. Ltd. supported by VECO Engineering, the Project Management Consultant.

The existing plant includes four GE MS5002C gas turbines that drive four BCL compressors for gas re-injection. Under the scope of GE's contract to expand the plant's capacity, the gas turbines will be upgraded to MS5002D models, which offer an increase in efficiency. The new machines also are equipped with new Dry Low NOx combustion systems that reduce NOx emissions across a broad operability range.

In addition, the four compressors will be equipped with newly designed internal parts, including a dry gas seals retrofit for the high-pressure compressors and new wheels for the gear boxes. The upgrade of the turbocompressor systems will improve flow capacity by approximately 14%.

To meet the new production requirements, an increase in pressure of five bars and handling a new gas composition are required of the compressors. GE's compressor upgrade engineers, leveraging their experience based on more than 350 rebundling projects, have customized and redesigned compressor materials to fit the new conditions.

The upgrade project will be conducted during a 25-day plant shutdown scheduled in October and November of 2007. GE will employ its new maintenance process, removing the gas turbines and replacing them in modules, which substantially reduces the length of the outage.

"We are pleased to be selected for this important plant upgrade, which will help to increase GASCO's gas development capabilities," said Claudi Santiago, president of GE's Oil & Gas business. "The project is the latest example of our commitment to provide the latest technology to support the oil and gas industry in this critical region of the world."

GASCO is the operating company responsible for the processing of natural and associated gas in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Incorporated in 1978, GASCO was established as a joint venture among Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Shell, Total and Partex.

For more information, please contact:

Mohammad Ayoub – Gulf Region Manager
mohammad.ayoub@ge.com