Louisiana-sited Monkey Island LNG will deploy proprietary ConocoPhillips’ technology at its planned 26-mtpa natural gas liquefaction facility in Cameron Parish on the US Gulf Coast.
The operator’s Optimized Cascade process was chosen based on its efficiency, flexibility, quick restart capabilities, and proven performance, according to Monkey Island. Key components of the proprietary process are in use at Santos’ Darwin LNG in Australia. Monkey Island LNG believes the ConocoPhillips technology will prove attractive to potential customers and provide a long-term, secure LNG supply.
ConocoPhillips’ process is based on three multistaged, cascaded refrigerant circuits using pure refrigerants, brazed aluminum heat exchangers, and insulated cold box modules. Propane, ethylene, and methane are the refrigerants used in the process as their properties are well-known and predictable, said ConocoPhillips. The process treats incoming natural gas, then chills and condenses it to approximately -162°C in successively colder heat exchangers that each feature one of the trio of refrigerants.
According to the company website, Monkey Island LNG has tapped McDermott to serve as engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the project.
The 246-acre Monkey Island LNG project site will feature up to five liquefaction trains capable of producing 5 mtpa each. Three, 180,000-m3 LNG storage tanks will be built on location.
The Monkey Island LNG project was originally announced around 10 years ago by then privately owned US public utility company, Southern California Telephone.
According to a regulatory letter filed with the US Department of Energy (DOE) by Monkey Island LNG this past March, company CEO Greg Michaels confirmed that “several pre-FEED engineering studies and design activities have been completed in prparation for the FERC application process.”
The most recent letter had no updates on supply or offtake agreements related to the facility, which is expected to begin operations in 2033—4 years later than was cited in a similar progress report letter to the DOE in April 2024.
