Managing gas transportation supply and gas storage
From extraction to point of use, natural gas travels through pipelines. These pipelines can reach thousands of kilometers in length. To offset the natural pressure losses during transportation, pipelines require a compressor station every 200 km or so. MAN Energy Solutions supplies the compressors and drives, such as gas turbines and electric motors, that are required for reliable transportation. We also offer gas storage solutions to increase the flexibility of your operation.
Expert natural gas transportation and storage
Gas compressors and drives for your business
Natural gas is the most climate-friendly of fossil fuels. Gas pipelines cover thousands of kilometres, transporting the gas to the end customer. To keep the pressure required for transportation at an operable level throughout the journey, gas pipelines are equipped with gas compressors at regular intervals. These compressors must work extremely reliably with little maintenance requirements. Seasonal variability of gas demand results in surplus gas that is withdrawn from the pipeline and compressed, stored and then taken from gas storage facilities at times of peak demand. Compressors are used to store and tap the gas in the storage facility.
The necessary capacity and flexibility in operation of the storage facility is guaranteed by the use of complete machinery trains.
MAN Energy Solutions delivers the compressor sets driven by gas turbines or electrical motors required for all these purposes. Our products are highly flexible and can be adapted to your individual business needs. We offer both centrifugal pipeline compressors for natural gas transport and high-speed hermetically sealed, emission-free compressors such as MOPICO® or HOFIM™.
The combination of a gas turbines driving a pipeline compressor is the perfect arrangement in a natural gas pipeline network. These compressor stations can work independently of any electrical infrastructure because the natural gas is used as the gas turbine’s fuel.
MAN Energy Solutions for pipeline and gas storage
Centrifugal pipeline compressors
On the market for over 40 years, our conventional pipeline compressors cover a wide range of operations, are flexible and efficient and suitable for all common drivers. They are available in various frame sizes, are fully API- and NACE-compliant and require little maintenance. Continuous product development, tailored design features and a broad operating range as well as other distinguished characteristics make these compressor an all-time favorites.
Go to pipeline compressorsMOPICO®
Our MOPICO® hermetically sealed compact compressor with integrated high-speed motor and magnetic bearings is an important element in the transportation of gas. It is a unique, state-of-the-art, integrated motor-driven pipeline compression system. The simple, compact and cost-effective design concept results in a highly reliable and largely maintenance-free system with high efficiencies over the complete operating range.
Sealed HOFIM® compressors
Our HOFIM® line of compressors is suitable for us in the most extreme environments and benefits from MECOS Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) technology. They are ideally suited for gas storage and gas transport. They benefit from unlimited start/stop capability and an excellent part load performance. Extremely reliable, the HOFIM® compressors ensure your operations run with minimal downtime, saving you costs and increasing efficiency.
Go to sealed compressorsGas Turbine
MAN Energy Solutions benefits from more than two decades of industrial gas turbine experience and expert application knowledge. Our reliable, efficient, state-of-the art industrial gas turbines are engineered and produced in Germany. They are used as mechanical drives in the oil and gas industry as well as at small energy supply companies and independent power producers.
Go to gas turbinesEnergy storage
Energy storage goes beyond gas storage. Other forms of energy storage are playing a growing role. We provide the technology for a number of innovative energy storage solutions that are of interest to you: MAN BESS (battery energy storage system), MAN ETES (electro-thermal energy storage), MAN PtX (power-to-X) or LAES (liquid air energy storage).
Go to energy storageMAN PrimeServ keeps your turbomachinery running
Our service engineers provide preventive maintenance, assist your troubleshooting, and get your facilities up and running in no time – wherever and whenever you need them.
How you benefit:
- Fast, reliable and expert customer support
- Bespoke service agreement
- Global service – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
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MOPICO® and HOFIM® in action
Mallnow compressor station
The concept for the Mallnow station, provides for waste heat from the gas turbine driven units to be used to operate an additional steam turbine unit. This increases the station’s aggregate output by almost a quarter without consuming additional energy.
| Plant | Mallnow, Germany |
| Client | A large German natural gas supplier |
| Duty | Centrifugal pipeline compressors |
| Compressor type |
3x RV08 centrifugal pipeline compressors 1 centrifugal pipeline compressor |
| Driver |
3x MAN FT8® gas turbines 1x MAN DK 63/130 steam turbine |
| Gas handled | Natural gas |
| Flow |
4M m3/ h at standard stetting |
| Maximum operating pressure | 100 bar |
| Power | 3x 26 MW |
HOFIM®
| Client | Natural gas storage company in Europe |
| Duty | Gas storage compressor |
| Compressor type |
2 tandem HOFIM® RB 45-5 + RB 45-5 1 tandem HOFIM® 35-5 +RB 35-5 |
| Driver |
2 MAN M43 / ABB VFD 1 MAN M33 / ABB VFD |
| Frame size | RB 45-5 + RB 45-5 / RB 35-5 + RB 35-5 |
| Gas handled | Export gas |
| Power |
2x 14,000 kW / 1x 7,500 kW 2x 18,770 hp / 1x 7,500 hp |
| Speed | 2x 9048 rpm / 1x 11,429 rpm |
| Seal type | None, hermetically sealed unit |
MOPICO®
| Plant | A customer in the Baltics |
| Duty | Pipeline compressor |
| Compressor type | 2 MOPICO® RM40 |
| Driver | MAN M33 ABB VFD |
| Frame size | RM40 |
| Handled gas | Natural gas 450/798 psi |
| Power | ~7.800 kW, ~10.500 hP |
| Speed | ~11.400 rpm |
| Seal type | None, hermetically sealed unit |
Contact our MAN Oil & Gas support team
Are you in the business of transporting or storing natural gas? Are you wondering how to improve your operations?
We offer pipelines and storage compressors, as well as gas turbines to provide power – all from a single, trusted source. We have been working together with our customers globally for decades.