Gas processing capacity expansion continues

GlobalData predictions

Global gas processing capacity is projected to increase from approximately 458 billion cubic ft/d in 2015 to almost 516 billion cubic ft/d by 2019, driven by a full slate of projects in the Middle East, North America and Asia, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.

The company’s latest report states that increasing domestic demand and opportunities for exports are driving gas processing construction plans in the Middle East and North America. The two regions combined account for more than half of the planned global gas processing capacity growth and capital expenditure (capex) through the end of 2019.

Matthew Jurecky, GlobalData’s Head of oil and gas research and consulting, comments: “There is broad growth across Asia, but leading gas processing expansion plans are fractionation in the US, and dehydration and sweetening in Iran and the rest of the Middle East.”

The report highlights that some of the largest planned gas processing plants slated to come online are located in the Middle East, including the Kish terminal in Iran and the Wasit terminal in Saudi Arabia, with capacities of around 3 billion cubic ft/d each.

Jurecky comments:

“The Middle East has the most gas processing capacity growth with the highest spending of anywhere in the world over the next five years. Around US$32 billion is estimated to be spent on the proposed projects to increase capacity to 17.9 billion cubic ft/d.

“Driven by unconventional production, there is an estimated US$27 billion between the US and Canada to increase gas processing capacity by 15.9 billion cubic ft/d across over 100 plants.”

GlobalData names Gazprom, Shell and Saudi Aramco as some of the companies leading the construction of the most significant planned gas processing plants.

“Gazprom is planning one of the largest gas processing facilities in the world, driven by demand from China and fueled by new fields in East Siberia. This single project would significantly shift the Asian market closer to Russia, building on ties being made with the Power of Siberia gas pipeline,” the analyst concludes.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/28092015/gas-processing-capacity-expansion-continues/