Baker Hughes will supply Dubai Petroleum Establishment (DPE) with 10 Integrated Compressor Line (ICL) units. The compressors will be installed at the Margham Gas storage facility in Dubai, five for gas storage and five for dual-use injection boosting or gas export to the existing gas distribution system.
The contract marks the largest ICL compressor order in Baker Hughes’ history.
“Our innovative ICL technology is set to be critical to support the gas infrastructure needed to address Dubai’s increasing expansion of renewables into its energy mix,” said Ganesh Ramaswamy, executive vice president of Industrial & Energy Technology at Baker Hughes. “This landmark order underscores the proven track record we have built in the market for our low-carbon solutions, and we are grateful to DPE for their continued commitment and trust as they deliver sustainable energy development.”
Margham Gas Plant
The Margham Gas Plant and Field is the largest gas field onshore Dubai. The field contains three gas-bearing geological formations located more than 10,000 ft. (3048 m) below the surface.
The field started up in 1984 and has been developed with production and injection gas wells that are connected through a gathering system to the Margham plant. Initially the gas was processed to remove water for disposal and condensate for sale and the dry gas was reinjected into the reservoir. Today, the dry gas is sent by pipeline to the Dubai gas gride.
According to DPE, the plant is a typical design. A series of cooling, pressure reduction, and phase separation steps separate the heavier hydrocarbon components and formation water from the gas. The remaining gas stream can be flowed directly to the Dubai gas grid or compressed to a higher pressure if higher rates are required.
The field has functioned as a strategic gas storage facility for Dubai since 2008, with the ability to inject gas to the reservoir or produce gas in order to satisfy Dubai’s seasonal fuel gas requirements.
ICL Compressor
The ICL compressor is a centrifugal compressor directly driven by a high-speed motor, with both arranged in a common pressurized casing. The gearless drive and magnetic-bearing shaft levitation combine to eliminate the need for lubrication. The variable-frequency drive enables speed variation with top efficiencies over the entire operating range, which reduces power consumption, the company said.
