METHANE CONVERSION FOR HIGHWAY FUEL USE (METHANOL PLANTSHIP PROJECT), VOLUME I: FINAL REPORT

In phase I methanol plantship (MPS) work sponsored by the Department of Transportation in fiscal years 1985 and 1986, the contractor identified uncontested methane sufficient to operate 130 MPSs for 20 years, each being of 3,000-short tons per day (2,722-t/d) capacity; demonstrated by analyses and by ship model tank tests that long-term efficient methanol plant operations can be conducted in at-sea environments; and showed that the economics of MPS operations are competitive with land-based plants. Part I of phase II (FHWA-RD-92-085) assessed the impact of new permitting and environmental legislation on the design and operation of the MPS. The impact of new laws and regulations are measurable. Design and construction costs will increase when design changes are made in order to meet new allowable pollutant release rates; operating costs will increase in order to implement a program that meets new planning, monitoring, and reporting requirements. MPS operability, however, was found to be unaffected by new statutes and changed regulations. New parametric analyses concluded greatest economy of scale at 3,000 short tons per day (2,722 t/d). Research of the MPS design efforts of other similar projects discovered no basis for discontinuance or change of development efforts or plans. The current effort, part II of phase II, confirmed that the MPS can address economically, without consequence to production rates, natural gases with impurity levels in excess of 25%; a useful methane supply, cost, and composition was confirmed at several sites of interest. MPS design changes to enhance operability and product quality were accomplished; the MPS specification and quotation assembly drawings were detailed to enable refined cost estimation of the MPS to -5% to +15% accuracy. Costs were determined for the preparation of an MPS "go to construction" bid package, for detailed design of the MPS, and for construction/installation of the MPS.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • See also Part I of Phase II report (FHWA-RD-92-085) and Part II of Phase II report, Volume II (FHWA-RD-93-092).
• Corporate Authors:

  Yankee Energy Corporation

  80 Bohlston Street, Suite 955
  Boston, MA  United States  02116

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Authors:
  • Fink, C
  • Jackson, Ilya
  • Wright, S
  • Booras, P
  • Wise, A
  • Nassopoulos, G
  • Marten, J
  • Graf, R
  • Greenshield, L
  • Shields, L
• Publication Date: 1997-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 69 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternate fuels; Cost estimating; Estimates; Floating structures; Methane; Methanol; Methanol fuels; Production
• Old TRIS Terms: Floating methanol plants; Methane conversion; Plantship construction
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00746626
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-92-085, 3E4a0262, Part II of Phase II
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-92-C-00015
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 4 1998 12:00AM