Honeywell?s technology allows VICO to fuel on-site equipment

By Romel S. Gurky

American firm Honeywell UOP said on Wednesday that its modular natural gas processing equipment enables Virginia Indonesia Company (VICO) to use natural gas straight from the wellhead to power on-site equipment.

Raw natural gas is often corrosive, or "sour," making it unsuitable for fueling on-site power-generation machinery without damaging the equipment. The modular fuel gas-conditioning system uses Honeywell UOP's Separex? technology to remove corrosive contaminants from natural gas streams, allowing it to safely and reliably fuel on-site machinery.

"Honeywell UOP's modular Separex technology is factory-built, easily shipped to the project site and ideally suited for operation in remote locations," said John Gugel, vice president and general manager for Honeywell UOP's Gas Processing and Hydrogen business, said in a statement. "The value of this solution is that you can use the very fuel you're producing to run the on-site equipment, rather than another fuel such as diesel that continually has to be transported to the site and is subject to supply interruptions."

Because it is built in a factory, the system starts up faster and operates more reliably than systems constructed on site, enabling customers to begin earning revenue faster. The standardized modular system is designed to easily fit together with other equipment, and is easier to operate due to common parts and standardized training, operations and maintenance.

VICO has operated the Sanga-Sanga Production Sharing Contract (PSC), located in the Kutai Basin of East Kalimantan, for more than 40 years. It has produced more than 12.6 TSCF of gas and 0.4 billion barrels of liquid from the production fields in Badak, Mutiara, Semberah, Nilam, Pamaguan, Lampake and Beras.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak