The World of Energy

Chapter 34 LNG Storage & Loading System

34.1. LNG Storage

Ch. 34 - 1
LNG Storage Tank System

Ch. 34 - 2
LNG Tank Construction

1. Continuous Diaphragm 1. Exterior tank liner

wall (prestressed concrete wall)
2. Side wall 2. Basemat slab
3. Basemat slab 3. Steel pile
4. Roof 4. Interior tank liner
5. Exterior tank roof

Ch. 34 - 3
Cryogenic & Low Temperature Tank

Flat-bottomed Cylindrical Double Shell Storage Tanks with

PC/RC Outer Wall
Consists of an inner tank with 9% nickel alloy steel or aluminum
material, and an outer tank with Pre-stressed Concrete or
Reinforced Concrete.
The space between inner and outer tank is insulated with loose
perlite and fiberglass blanket
Brunei, Malaysia, Australia, Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan,
etc.

Flat-bottomed Cylindrical Double Shell Storage Tanks with

Metal Outer Wall
Basic structure is same as the above, but carbon steel plate is
used for outer tank.
Indonesia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Japan, etc.

Flat-bottomed Cylindrical Single Shell Storage Tanks

This type of storage tank has the basic construction of ordinary
dome roof tanks.
The outer surface of shell and its adjoining area is insulated
against heat leak and humidity penetration with polyurethane
foam, foamglas or similar materials.
Greece, Iran, Libya, Algeria, Japan

Ch. 34 - 4
Large-scale LNG storage tanks
Constructed as
Freestanding tanks
Membrane tanks
Buried tanks

Freestanding tanks are flat-bottomed, vertical, cylindrical tanks for

low temperature services

Basically three tank design principles prevail:

Single containment,
Double containment
Full containment.

The largest above ground LNG storage tank built so far is a 180 000
m3 tank in Senboku, Japan, for Osaka Gas, finished in 2000

Whereas the larges in-ground tank is a 200 000 m3 built at the

Ohgishima LNG terminal in Yokohama, finished in 2000. This tank
was built in concrete having a 36% Ni-steel membrane

The price of full containment tanks like Snhvit - is around 750

Euro per m3 for the entire tank systems, and about 525 Euro per
m3 for the tank itself. The price of double and single containment is
naturally somewhat lower.

Ch. 34 - 5
LNG Containment & Retention System

Single containment types have a cylindrical metal primary tank and an earthen
dike or bund wall secondary containment. Single containment tanks were the
first type developed and are now used mainly in remote locations

Double containment types have a cylindrical metal primary tank and an

independent metal or reinforced concrete, open top secondary containment
outer tank. This type was developed for small sites; however few have been
built because the full containment type, below, was soon developed.

Full containment type tanks have a cylindrical metal inner primary tank and
metal or pre-stressed concrete outer secondary containment tank structurally
independent but combined into one structure. Today full containment tanks
are the most common type used.

Full containment membrane type has a cylindrical thin metal membrane

primary container structurally supported by an outer pre-stressed concrete
cylindrical tank. The outer concrete tank also serves as the secondary leak
containment. Applications of membrane tanks have been far less than the
other types of tanks except in Japan and Korea.

Even though all of the above listed structures can be built in-ground, only
membrane tanks, type 4, have been regularly built below grade. The outer
wall of an in-ground tank is not pre-stressed. The outer wall is held in
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load.

Ch. 34 - 6
LNG Tank Containment System
Single containment:
Carbon steel outer tank vapour and insulation container
Carbon steel dome roof with external deluge system
Secondary containment provided by composite sand core and crushed rock dikes
designed for 110 % tank storage capacity

Double containment:
Carbon steel outer tank vapour and insulation container
Carbon steel dome roof with external deluge system
Secondary containment provided by a post-tensioned concrete outer retaining
tank wall, integrally attached to the concrete base slab, designed for 110 % of
maximum storage

Full containment:
Pre-stressed concrete outer container with steel liner
Concrete covered steel roof
Liquid spill area limited by outer concrete wall
Normal operating pressure up to 250 mbar

Membrane type
Pre-stressed concrete tank with a layer of internal insulation covered by a thin
stainless steel membrane.
The concrete tank supports the hydrostatic load which is transferred through the
membrane and insulation (in other words, the membrane is not self-supporting).
The membrane must shrink and expand with changing temperatures.
Existing in-ground membrane tanks have capacities up to 200,000 m3.

Ch. 34 - 7
World LNG Containment System

Single Containment Type 320

Double Containment Type 15
Full Containment Type 110
Membrane Containment Type 30
Membrane In-ground Containment Type 50

Ch. 34 - 8
Abobe Ground Full Containment Tank

Ch. 34 - 9
 Above Ground LNG Tanks

Metal Double-Shell Type Full Containment Type Above

Above Ground Tank Ground Tank
Location:Niigata, Japan Location:Ras Laffan, Qatar
Client:Nihonkai LNG Co., Ltd. Client:Ras Laffan LNG Co.,
Capacity:100,000KL1 Ltd.
Completion:1998 Capacity:140,000KL3
Completion:2000

Ch. 34 - 10
Osaka Gas 180,000 Cu.m LNG Tank

Ch. 34 - 11
Osaka Gas 180,000 Cu.m LNG Tank
Largest above ground LNG Tank in the World

Ch. 34 - 12
 Full Containment LNG Tank
1. Roof Liner
2. Suspension Rod
3. RC Roof
4. PC Side Wall
5. RC Bottom Slab
6. RC Piles
7. Roof Insulation
8. Suspended Deck
9. Inner Insulation
10. Side Insulation
11. Side Liner
12. Secondary
Barrier

Ch. 34 - 13
 All Concrete LNG Tanks
For many years, metal-lined
concrete tanks have been used for
the primary containment of
cryogenic liquids, including LNG.
The ACLNG tank eliminates the
need for a liner in the primary
container and utilises a simple and
cost-effective water vapour barrier
on the secondary wall.
Construction relies on well-
established civil engineering
technology that is available
anywhere in the world.
Savings are achieved through a
performance-related approach to
design simplicity and speed of
construction, avoiding the long lead
time associated with proprietary
liners, membranes or 9% Ni-steel,
the cost of specialist sub-
contractors.

Ch. 34 - 14
 All concrete LNG storage tank
The concrete slip-forming of
the inner and the outer tank
gives customer benefits:
10 20% lower overall
construction cost
Up to 1/3 reduction of overall
construction time
Larger tank size (up to
300.000 m3)
Substantial reduction in boil-
off gas
Higher earth quake resistance

www.cryotank.no

Ch. 34 - 15
 In-ground LNG Storage System
In-ground LNG storage tanks are only partially visible from the
outside of the terminal site making them difficult to be targeted
by terrorists.

Furthermore, since the LNG is stored below the ground surface,

in the unlikely event of a terrorist attack or the concrete roof
being destroyed by a projectile, the LNG would not leak onto
the ground.

Accordingly, the tanks are accredited with the European

standard EN1473, making them the safest way to store LNG.

In an earthquake the seismic motion is not amplified for in-

ground storage tanks when compared to above-ground
structures making them safer in earthquake-prone regions.

In order to make the tanks much safer from terrorist attacks,

tank roofs can be lined with reinforced concrete or the roof of
the tanks can be completely underground.

Ch. 34 - 16
 In-ground Suspension Deck LNG Tank

1. Domed Roos
2. Suspension Deck
3. Berm
4. Insulation on
suspension deck
5. Side & Bottom
insulation
6. Heater
7. Pump Stage
8. Piping & sub-rack
9. Membrane
10. Side wall & base
11. Pump barrel
framing

Ch. 34 - 17
 In-ground Roof Inner Insulation LNG Tank

1. Domed Roof
2. Berm
3. Side & bottom
insulation
4. Heater
5. Pump stage
6. Piping & sub-rack
7. Roof insulation
8. Membrane
9. Side wall & base
10. Pump barrel framing

Ch. 34 - 18
 In-ground LNG Tank
Membrane Type In Ground
Tank
Location: Inchon, Korea
Client: Korea Gas Corporation
Capacity:140,000KL2
Completion:2001
Membrane Type In Ground
Tank
Location: Chita-midorihama,
Japan
Client: Toho Gas Co., Ltd.
Capacity: 200,000KL1
Completion:2001
Ch. 34 - 19
Onshore LNG Storage Design

Reinforced Perlite (balls) insulation

concrete

Inner tank (walls & base)

9% nickel steel alloy

Blocks

Stainless steel
secondary base

Base insulation foam glass

Heating ducts to prevent ground freezing

Typical LNG storage tank design features multiple

containment and security layers
Constructed using proven technology & materials

Ch. 34 - 20
In-ground LNG Storage Tank
1. Reinforced concrete tank
cover Steel roof
2. Suspended deck
3. Glass wool insulation
4. Non-CFC rigid polyurethane
form (PUF) insulation
5. 18Cr-8Ni stainless steel
membrane
6. Reinforced concrete side
wall
7. Reinforced concrete cut-off
wall
8. Side heater
9. Reinforced concrete bottom
slab
10. Bottom heater
11. Gravel layer

Ch. 34 - 21
Thermal Radiation Exclusion Zones

Ch. 34 - 22
Vapor Dispersion Exclusion Zones

Part 193.2059 requires that provisions be

made to minimize the possibility of
flammable vapors from a design spill from
reaching a property line that can be built
upon

Calculations are done to 2.5 percent average

gas concentration (one half the lower
flammability limit of LNG vapor).

Ch. 34 - 23
Major LNG Accidents

Ch. 34 - 24
Major LNG Accidents

Ch. 34 - 25
Major LNG Accidents

Ch. 34 - 26
LNG Tank Construction

Ch. 34 - 27
LNG Tank Construction

Ch. 34 - 28
LNG Tank Construction

Ch. 34 - 29