ABB to overhaul Shell's Nyhamna Gas Plant

July 29, 2015
ABB wins order to improve power quality, reduce energy at Norwegian plant.

ABB announces it has won a $24 million order from Kvaerner to enhance reliability and minimize grid losses at the Nyhamna, Norway gas processing facility, which is presently undergoing a major expansion.

A Static Var Compensator (SVC) will be supplied to the facility by ABB’s Process Automation and Power Systems divisions in Norway and Sweden. They are assuring a successful execution by combining the teams' in-depth knowledge of the site and the design of SVCs.

The SVC will allow more electricity to flow through the network while improving power quality and maintaining network safety and stability.  It will also facilitate a number of essential operations, such as switching from a dual to a single in-feed, while handling increased load.

“ABB has core expertise and an extensive track record in industrial plant electrification. The tailor-made SVC will decrease reactive power consumption and stabilize voltage for gas compressors at the new Nyhamna facility,” said Peter Terwiesch, president of ABB Process Automation, which is leading ABB’s internal team. “In line with our Next Level strategy, we will use our technology strengths and combined power and automation expertise to deliver this important project for Kvaerner.”

Nyhamna is operated by A/S Norske Shell and is located about 50 km south of Kristiansund. At present, the plant supplies about 20% of UK’s gas needs which requires capacity to compress 70 million cubic meters of gas a day. Work is under way to increase this to 84 million, allowing intake of third party gas from the Polarled pipeline.