World's first onshore membrane full containment LNG storage tank begins service in China

Photo shows a liquefied natural gas (LNG) peak regulation storage facility in Hejian city, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Zhang Liang)

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) peak regulation storage facility in Hejian city, north China's Hebei Province, which represents the world's first onshore membrane full containment LNG storage tank, was officially put into service on Feb. 23, marking the beginning of China's journey into onshore LNG storage facilities.

The project has been running smoothly for more than 100 days since it began trial operations on Oct. 15, 2022. During the trial period, the facility gasified over 1 million standard cubic feet of LNG per day, effectively guaranteeing gas supply for 800,000 urban households in Hejian city.

The LNG storage tank of this project, which adopted the membrane full containment GST technology, is an environmentally friendly cryogenic storage facility. The tank requires 90 percent less steel and produces 27 percent less carbon emissions compared to LNG storage tank using traditional technologies.

The GST membrane full containment system of the project includes a nitrogen system, an online gas detection system, and thermal corner protection system, which help significantly reduce the evaporation of the LNG stored in the tank, thus ensuring the safe operation and integrity management of the facility.

The project is funded by Huagang Gas Group Co., Ltd., a natural gas supplier in Hebei Province, and the core membrane full containment tank was built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd.

On the day the onshore membrane full containment LNG storage tank was officially put into use, China released its first technical specification for the design, construction, and acceptance inspection of membrane LNG storage tanks. The document has filled a gap in the country.