Battery power at Australian LNG facility would be world first

ConocoPhillips Australia will invest in an innovative battery storage system that is expected to reduce Darwin LNG’s carbon emissions from power generation by 20%, according to the company

Once implemented, it will be the first use of large-scale battery technology at an LNG facility globally.

A ConocoPhillips Australia spokesperson told LNG World Shipping that the company is assessing bids from the tender process for the lithium-ion battery storage system, which would have installed capacity of 4MW.

“Darwin LNG uses gas-fired power generation turbines to generate its own site power”, said the ConocoPhillips spokesperson. “The battery will be integrated with the power generation turbines, allowing one onsite gas-fired power turbine to be turned off while the remaining turbines run at a higher efficiency, resulting in energy and maintenance savings.”

Five Taurus 60 solar turbines burn fuel gas directly from the Bayu-Undan pipeline, generating onsite power at Darwin LNG (DLNG). During normal operations, four turbines run continuously with spinning reserve as a safeguard in the event of a unit tripping. During ship loading activities, five turbines are used to support the extra power need by high-voltage LNG loading pumps and using an additional boil off gas compressor.

ConocoPhillips expects to cut fuel gas consumption by “thousands of tonnes” and significantly reduce maintenance costs. The battery storage system is expected to provide reserve power for around 30 minutes.

ConocoPhillips Australia West president Chris Wilson said, “The battery has significant potential to integrate with other opportunities currently being considered by Darwin LNG to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions such as alternative energy generation”.

The battery storage system installation is part of an overall corporate commitment by ConocoPhillips to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from operations by 5-15% by 2030.

“DLNG has been an industry leader in environmental performance and carbon management for over a decade through its role establishing the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement project (WALFA), pioneer of the savannah-burning offset industry now central to Australia’s emission reduction efforts”, said Mr Wilson.

“WALFA remains one of Australia’s largest offset projects and has been emulated by more than 80 other programmes, offsetting more than 2M tonnes of CO2e emissions while improving biodiversity outcomes, creating indigenous jobs and protecting ancient cultural sites from intense wildfire”.

The Darwin LNG joint venture comprises ConocoPhillips (56.9% and operator), Santos (11.5%), INPEX (11.4%), Eni (11.0%), JERA (6.1%) and Tokyo Gas (3.1%).