Customized valves and safety instrumentation for underground LPG storage in India

Hindustan Petroleum’s LPG mined rock cavern project reaches a new milestone as equipment from Svanehøj Tank Control Systems has been shipped to Mangalore. Here, a new range of special ESVs will be used for the first time in an underground storage facility.

Svanehøj has made significant progress in the Mangalorean underground LPG storage project. With the departure of equipment from Svanehøj Tank Control Systems in Calais to its destination in India, the project is now moving closer to its completion.

The project, which began with a requisition placed in 2022 by the EPC company Mahathi Infra Services Pvt. Ltd., establishes a 100,000 m³ LPG storage facility for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) in Mangalore, India. Svanehøj's role in the project involves providing highly specialized instrumentation and valve systems tailored to the unique demands of underground LPG storage.

The equipment, which includes emergency shutdown valves (ESV), a hydraulic control unit (HPU), an alarm probe (LAP) as well as a tank data acquisition system, was recently shipped from Calais to India after undergoing a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) in December 2023. The test was crucial to ensure that the instruments met all safety and operational requirements before installation and give green light for commissioning.

A trusted provider of special ESVs for underground LPG storage

One of the objectives of the Mangalore cavern project has been to develop a completely new range of ESVs designed to handle much higher pressures than typical systems. These valves, specifically engineered for Mahathi Infra Services Pvt. Ltd., are the first to be used in underground storage facilities.

The process involved extensive customization to meet the strict LPG pressure safety requirements, ensuring the valves are both fire-safe and operational under high-pressure conditions. The successful completion of the FAT marks a significant achievement for Svanehøj, demonstrating the capability to meet safety standards for critical underground LPG storage.

- The Mangalore project serves as a certification phase for our newly developed range of ESV systems. We have conducted extensive testing in a specialized laboratory in Belgium, where the valves were subjected to fire conditions to verify their resilience. We have worked closely with the customer in developing the technical specifications as the customer requested a specific pressure rate for this cavern based on pressure tests that were made, says Rémi Brunet, LPG Project Manager in Svanehøj.   

When the equipment arrives in India, Svanehøj offers on-site expertise by planning for a technician to be on-site. This ensures a smooth installation and commissioning process, with Svanehøj taking on the role of expert and advisor, following the project through to its successful completion.

The commissioning phase, scheduled at the end of the year, will involve integrating and testing all subsystems to verify that they meet the project specifications and safety requirements. This phase transitions the project from construction to operational status, ensuring that the storage facility is ready for safe and efficient use.

Svanehøj’s strategic focus on cavern projects

The Mangalorean project is a significant milestone in project innovation and positions Svanehøj as a key player in the global market for underground LPG storage safety solutions. With the commissioning of another cavern project in China and ongoing maintenance and replacement projects for older cavern systems worldwide, Svanehøj offers both new installations and replacements of obsolete systems. As the energy landscape evolves, with an increasing focus on hydrogen and ammonia storage, Svanehøj aims to leverage the expertise of these energy types to meet future demands.

Svanehøj Tank Control Systems has a dedicated team in Calais committed to delivering high-quality solutions to enhance safety and efficiency in underground storage facilities. This way, Svanehøj continues to lead the way in developing reliable solutions for the global energy market.