Key Takeaways:
- SPL supports LNG operations at every stage: feed gas composition, amine system health, custody transfer, and condensate characterization.
- Custody transfer and feed gas analysis follow GPA 2261, GPA 2286, GPA 2377, GPA 2186, ASTM D5504 / GPA 2199, ASTM D6228, ASTM D2504, ASTM D5191, and ASTM D6730.
- Field measurement teams handle fugitive leak and production loss investigations, calibration blend verification, sample cylinder maintenance, and sulfur emission testing.
- SPL builds, equips, and staffs on-site labs at LNG facilities from commissioning through startup.
In Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), a single contaminant can shut down a train or put a cargo in dispute. Every step from the inlet to the loading arm depends on knowing exactly what is in the gas and in the liquids around it. SPL’s LNG testing services give operators and facility teams defensible data at each of those steps: feed gas composition, amine system health, custody transfer analysis, condensate characterization, and field measurement when production losses or leaks need answers.
Start With a Clear Picture of Your Feed Gas
Liquefaction equipment is designed around a narrow composition window. Carbon dioxide, sulfur compounds, and heavy hydrocarbons that slip past pretreatment can freeze out at cryogenic temperatures and foul the heat exchangers in the cold box. Knowing what your plant is receiving is the first protection against that risk.
SPL analyzes natural gas composition by GPA 2261 and runs extended hydrocarbon analysis by GPA 2286 when you need detail on the heavier fraction. We measure H2S and CO2 by GPA 2377, and we provide sulfur compound speciation by ASTM D5504 / GPA 2199 and ASTM D6228. Together, these methods show pretreatment and process engineers what is coming in the gate and how that picture changes when supply shifts.
Keep the Amine System Healthy
The amine unit removes CO2 and H2S before gas reaches liquefaction. When the solution degrades or picks up contaminants, the symptoms show up fast: foaming, amine losses, reduced treating capacity, and off-spec gas moving downstream.
SPL’s amine analysis targets the causes behind those symptoms:
- Foaming tendency
- Amine concentration
- Amine speciation by GC
- Oxygenate and surfactant contamination
- Particulates
Trending these results over time helps operations teams find a contamination source, such as a surfactant carried in with the inlet stream, before it becomes a foaming event and a rate cut.
Get Custody Transfer Data Right the First Time
When a cargo changes hands, composition and heating value have to be right. Both parties need to trust the numbers.
SPL’s LNG custody transfer analysis delivers accurate gas composition and sulfur data using GPA and ASTM standards. Composition by GPA 2261 and GPA 2286 is the basis for heating value. Sulfur data by ASTM D5504 / GPA 2199 and ASTM D6228 confirms the product meets contract limits. We measure H2S and CO2 by GPA 2377 and non-condensable gases by ASTM D2504. Results generated by recognized methods and documented properly hold up when questions come later.
Characterize Condensate with Confidence
LNG facilities also produce condensate, and that stream carries its own commercial and handling questions. SPL characterizes LNG condensate using:
- Extended liquid analysis by GPA 2186
- Vapor pressure by ASTM D5191
- PIANO analysis by ASTM D6730
PIANO analysis sorts the sample into paraffins, isoparaffins, aromatics, naphthenes, and olefins. The resulting composition profile supports sales specifications, blending decisions, and safe storage and handling.
Send Measurement Teams Where the Problem Is
Some questions can’t be answered from a sample cylinder alone. SPL’s field measurement teams support LNG facilities with:
- Fugitive leak investigations
- Production loss investigations
- Calibration blend verification
- Sample cylinder inspection and maintenance
- Natural gas sulfur emission testing
Our field teams and laboratory scientists work together, so a measurement discrepancy in the field and a composition result in the lab get reviewed side by side. That gets you from “the numbers don’t match” to a clear answer faster, from the sample to the source.
Run Your On-Site Lab From Commissioning Through Startup
Many LNG facilities operate their own laboratories, and standing one up is a project of its own. SPL staffs and runs laboratories at operating LNG facilities, from commissioning through startup. Our laboratory support services include:
- Laboratory commissioning and staffing
- Packaged laboratory equipment and instrument procurement
- Laboratory consulting and audits
- Staff development and training
Facility owners get an experienced lab team on day one, plus training for the people who will carry the work forward.
One Partner Across Your LNG Operations
SPL has provided hydrocarbon testing and measurement since 1944 and operates 30+ locations nationwide, including laboratories in the heart of the gulf coast – Houston, Texas and Broussard, Louisiana. These locations support rapid turnaround times for your test results. From the Gulf Coast, to Alaska, and everywhere in between, LNG Operators can work with one partner for laboratory analysis, field measurement, and on-site lab support.
Put defensible data behind every cargo. Contact our team at info@spllabs.com to talk through your LNG testing program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What testing does an LNG facility need?
Most LNG facilities need testing at four points: feed gas composition, amine system health, custody transfer, and condensate characterization. Feed gas and amine testing protect liquefaction equipment from CO2, sulfur, and heavy hydrocarbons. Custody transfer analysis confirms composition and sulfur content when a cargo changes hands. Condensate testing supports sales specifications and handling. SPL provides all four, along with field measurement services for leaks and production losses.
Which methods does SPL use for LNG custody transfer analysis?
Why is amine analysis important for LNG plants?
Can SPL staff an on-site laboratory at an LNG facility?
Yes. SPL staffs and runs laboratories at operating LNG facilities, from commissioning through startup. Services include laboratory commissioning and staffing, packaged equipment and instrument procurement, laboratory consulting and audits, and staff development and training.
Does SPL have laboratories in Alaska?
Yes. SPL operates 30+ locations nationwide, including laboratories in Anchorage, Alaska, and supports LNG operations wherever they run. Contact info@spllabs.com to find the location nearest your facility.
Can SPL investigate production losses or fugitive leaks at an LNG facility?
Yes. SPL’s field measurement teams perform fugitive leak investigations and production loss investigations. They also provide calibration blend verification, sample cylinder inspection and maintenance, and natural gas sulfur emission testing. Because field teams and lab scientists work together, results from both sides can be reviewed together to find the source of a discrepancy.
Contact Us Today for Information
Put Defensible Data Behind Every Cargo
From feed gas and amine health to custody transfer and on-site lab staffing, SPL supports LNG operations wherever they run.