GE gas turbine technology will be used to convert the conventional power plant into a large-scale cogeneration plant. The company’s 7FA gas turbine has the capability to burn natural gas with high nitrogen content, which fits the profile of the available fuel at the Nuevo Pemex site, GE said.
In addition, GE has signed a 20-year contractual service agreement (CSA) to provide a full range of plant services, including planned and unplanned maintenance.
The company said that cogeneration, the simultaneous production of electricity and heat using a single fuel such as natural gas, harnesses heat that would otherwise be wasted. This can result in higher thermal efficiency or higher heat values; also, carbon dioxide emissions can be substantially reduced.
The new cogeneration plant will be owned by a consortium made up of Abener and Abengoa Mexico and will supply steam and power to Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned oil and gas company, for use at Pemex’s existing natural gas processing facility at the site. The cogeneration plant will be able to generate between 550 and 800 tons of process steam per hour.
John Reinker, general manager of gas turbine combined-cycle products at GE Power & Water, said: “With our advanced technology and global experience, we are well positioned to help our customers meet their energy and environmental goals. Our F-technology machines are well proven in a wide range of power generation applications worldwide, and have the flexibility to meet the specific requirements of large-scale cogeneration projects.”
