INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Green Technology
Nigeria’s Indorama Eleme
Petrochemicals boosts power
plant output and availability
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G
E Power and Indorama Eleme
Petrochemials Limited have
announced that they have
successfully executed GE’s 6B Performance
Improvement Package (PIP) upgrade on the
first two out of six 6B gas turbines at the
petrochemical facility in Eleme, Rivers State,
Nigeria. The upgrade increased Indorama’s
plant output by 15% per gas turbine, more
than doubling the expected increase of
6%, and will help extend the interval for
combustion and hot gas path inspections,
reducing overall maintenance costs.
In addition, the project is expected to
increase power plant availability of up to
3,960 hours over 16 years.
The growth in production is directly
proportional to an increase in power
needs and operational costs, and due to
growing power demand in Nigeria, GE’s
objective is to expand our production. GE’s
technology will therefore help the company
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mitigate costs while ensuring there is enough
power to support increased production at a
lower cost.
At Indorama’s Eleme plant, GE successfully
installed the technology upgrade on
two of GE’s six 6B gas turbines on site.
The turbines achieved an increased
output of 5 MWs per unit, exceeding the
expected benefits of 2.5MWs. In addition,
Combustion and Hot Gas Path inspections
which were separately carried out at 12,000
hours and 24,000 hours respectively, will
both take place at 32, 000 hours. Over 16
years, the new schedule will save Indorama
the cost of carrying out 21 separate
combustion and four HGP inspections and
adding 3,960 hours of production.
“At GE, we’re always focused on
understanding our customers’ needs so
we can tailor the right innovative solutions
to increase the power plant’s operational
performance and profitability,” said Elisee
Sezan, CEO for GE’s Gas Power businesses in
Sub-Saharan Africa.
“In 2009, GE launched the 6B Performance
Improvement Package, featuring advances
in materials, coatings, sealing and
aerodynamics derived from its F-class
technology to increase output and efficiency.
We’re proud that GE’s continued investment
in upgrades for mature fleets are helping
power producers and industrial operators
– like Indorama – remain competitive in
today’s very dynamic marketplace.”
Today, PIP is installed on over 200 units
globally, and it has become the standard
configuration for new 6B gas turbines. GE
has been operating in Nigeria for over 40
years, with more than 750 employees today,
90% of whom are Nigerians.
The company has businesses spanning
across key sectors including oil and gas,
power, healthcare and renewables. n
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