In 2001, record amounts of methanol, air gases and liquefied natural gas, (LNG) were produced at Statoil’s Tjeldbergodden industrial plant in mid-Norway.
Production of LNG was increased threefold compared with the year before – from around 4000 tonnes to more than 12,000 tonnes.
The main product methanol closed the year at 867,000 tonnes, whereas the figure for 2000 was 725,000 tonnes.
The production of liquefied gases of the air increased from around 58,000 tonnes to just over 71,000 tonnes.
Arve Rennemo, who is in charge of the industrial plant, says that modifications, optimisation of the process and two turnarounds in 2000 and 1998 have made it possible to utilise the facilities more efficiently. A stable supply of electricity and gas to the plant has also had a positive effect on the result.
“But it is the people, not the systems, that do the work,” he says.
In addition to the employees’ commitment and skills, the good regularity has provided a boost to the results for health, safety and the environment (HSE), adds Mr Rennemo.
The land facility was awarded the chief executive’s HSE prize last year.
The Tjeldbergodden plant commenced production of methanol in 1997. The most important raw material is natural gas, which is piped in from the Statoil-operated Heidrun field in the Norwegian Sea.