Sinopec: World’s largest LNG tank in service

China’s Sinopec said it has put the country’s first—and world’s largest—LNG storage tank into service.

The 270,000 m3 tank at the Qingdao LNG Receiving Terminal will add 165 million m3 of storage capacity to meet the gas demand of 2.16 million households for five months during the winter heating season, the company said.

The LNG storage tank, independently designed, developed and built by Sinopec, has a diameter of 100.6 m and a height of 55 m and is a key project of Sinopec Qingdao LNG Receiving Termina’s phase III construction. The tank adopted 17 patented technologies with independent intellectual property, the main structure was completed in 18 months and was in full service within 27 months, the company said.

China’s largest LNG storage tank of 270,000 m3 is now in operation. (Image: Sinopec)

Sinopec also said the Tianjin LNG Receiving Terminal completed the phase II construction with three 220,000 m3 storage tanks coming into full service, adding over 400 million m3 of natural gas storing capacity to bring the total storage capacity of Tianjin terminal to 1.08 billion m3, the largest in China. Sinopec’s two LNG terminals in Qingdao and Tianjin, with seven and nine storage tanks respectively, have a total of 1.68 billion m3 of storage capacity, further guaranteeing the supply of resources in the winter season.

Sinopec has continued to expand the natural gas storage capacity following a strategic plan covering the full scope of production, supply, storage, and sales, the group now has about 5 billion m3 of LNG storage capacity. Sinopec has built 12 natural gas storage depots including the Zhongyuan cluster, Jintan, Wen 96, and Jianghan Yanxue, while it’s also expanding the LNG receiving terminals in Tianjin and Qingdao.

Sinopec said it plans to build more natural gas storage depots and LNG receiving terminals in China to further strengthen the natural gas storage and peak gas consumption adjustment capabilities and expand LNG storage capacities during its 5-year plan.