While the land-based storage and distribution facilities at the Cove Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier terminal have been in continuous use since commissioning, the LNG carrier berthing facility had been shut down for several years.
The Cove Point, Maryland, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal was built in the early 1970s. While the land-based storage and distribution facilities have been in continuous use since commissioning (as a peak shaving plant), the berthing facility has been shut down for several years. To meet the increasing demands for LNG, the new owners of the facility decided to recommission the berths for receiving and unloading LNG vessels.
After receiving the necessary permits from the Federal Energy Regulation Commission, the owners selected Project Technical Liaison Associates, Inc. (PTL) for evaluating and upgrading the existing berths. The goal was to comply with the new operational and safety requirements, as well as to allow berthing of larger LNG vessels that were not present when the facility was first built.
WSP worked with PTL in evaluating and upgrading the 30-year-old berths. After a quick condition assessment and analysis, the engineers concluded that most of the structures are in good enough condition for the new operations. WSP's engineers performed several mooring analyses for the larger and newer LNG vessels that are to be expected. New mooring hardware was specified along with minor repoars to existing fenders and bollards. WSP's engineers provided procurement support, as well as construction support, to PTL. The work was completed in July 2003, and the facility is once again receiving and unloading LNG vessels.
