500 MW Power Plant Starts Operation at Major Oil Block

EghtesadOnline: To help develop power infrastructure in shared oilfields with Iraq, a 500 megawatt power station became operational in Iran’s largest oil block known as West Karoun in Khuzestan Province, chief executive officer of the Mapna Group said.

News ID: ۷۵۰۸۲۰

26 August 2020

“Costing $360 million, the plant was built in the form of BOO (build–own–operate) contracts, and was fully funded by the energy group without borrowing from the National Development Fund of Iran—the country's sovereign wealth fund,” Abbas Aliabadi was quoted as saying by ISNA.

West Karoun combined-cycle power station includes two gas-powered units which have been connected to the national grid plus a steam-powered unit that will go on stream soon.

The project also comprises a 400-kilometer transmission and distribution line plus five substations. This cost $150 million and was paid by the National Iranian Oil Company.

“Domestically-manufactured gas turbines used in the plant are from the E-class family and can reduce greenhouse emissions by as much as 185,000 tons per year.”

The high-tech turbines decrease water consumption from 11 cubic meters per hour to 3.4 cubic meters.

When the steam unit come on line the plant’s efficiency will increase from 39% to 53%, Aliabadi added.

Feedstock for the plant will be provided by the NGL 3200 factory in Khuzestan Province. NGL, or natural gas liquids, are components of natural gas that are separated from the gas in the form of liquids.

Natural gas liquids are valuable as separate products. Ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, and pentane are all NGLs used for a variety of purposes like input for power stations and petrochemical plants, burned for space heating and cooking, and blended into vehicle fuel.

West Karoun includes several large oilfields straddling the Iran-Iraq border, namely Azadegan, Yaran, Yadavaran and Darkhoein, with the first three divided into north and south projects. The block holds an estimated 67 billion barrels of oil in place. “Iran’s share (350,000 barrels per day) is extracted from the oil block, and stabilizing power supply to the region is crucial.”

Conversion Plans

According to Aliabadi, Mapna has converted 27 gas power stations into combined-cycle plants and work is underway to convert more.

"Conversion of all single-cycle power plants into combined cycles can help save 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas per annum worth $2 billion. Moreover, it also helps curb greenhouse gases."

Implementing the plan will increase the efficiency of power plants from 35% to 50% and add 12,600 MW to the grid's capacity (equal to electricity produced by six big power stations).

A combined cycle power plant uses both gas and steam turbines to produce up to 50% more electricity from the same fuel than a traditional simple cycle plant. The waste heat from the gas turbine is sent to a nearby steam turbine which also generates electricity.

There are 478 thermal power plants in Iran, of which 117 are single cycle and can be converted into combined cycle via steam turbines.

Mapna is a leading contractor in the electricity, oil, gas and transportation sectors, and the largest manufacturer of power plant equipment in the Middle East and West Asia. It is a leader in implementing power plant projects.

The tech giant recently unveiled its new C-class MGT-40 turbine, which has high safety standards that will be sold to power stations plus oil, gas and petrochemical plants.