The Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Co (Adgas) LNG plant at Das Island set a new production record of 528,023 tonnes a month (t/m) of LNG during July. It also had a record 766,581 t/m of total production in July, according to Majid Khalifa, operations manager.

Meanwhile, Adgas has completed the revamp of Train-3 propane compressor leading to higher production.

With the revamp, production at Train-3 has increased to an average of 380 tonnes per hour (tph)of liquified natural gas (LNG) from the earlier 320 tph of LNG, Adgas said.

"Installation of the new propane compressor revamp was successfully carried out during April 2001 in a specially planned shutdown of Train-3. Close performance monitoring and evaluation during post-commissioning stage are being carried out to ensure that all design parameters are fully met," Adgas notes.

Adgas officials declined to state the cost of the revamp but said it was high.

The propane compressor for Train-3 was commissioned in 1994 and is one of the biggest machines of its kind in the world. It was subjected to a number of failures between 1996-99 which caused disruption to the Train-3 production until the failed parts of the compressor, mainly the rotor impellers had been repaired or replaced.

Adgas played an active role in the management of the new revamp compressor to ensure proper quality assurance and control of the design and manufacturing. Adgas was assisted by its shareholders BP and TotalFinaElf.

Set up in 1973, Adgas is owned 70 per cent by Adnoc, 15 per cent by Mitsui & Co of Japan, 10 per cent by BP and 5 per cent TotalFinaElf. Adgas has also successfully completed in July its SAP upgrade project.