Going Far (Floating Alumina Refinery)

Abstract

The Shell “Prelude” project is embarking on a revolutionary step change in LNG (liquefied natural gas) processing. Prelude will be a 488m long floating facility that will process, liquefy, store and transfer LNG at sea directly above the natural gas field. Could the same floating principle be applied to an alumina refinery moored at a shipping berth close to the bauxite supply?

“Going FAR” is, for now, an abstract concept for a Floating Alumina Refinery. The FAR concept potentially reduces the sovereign risk from politically unstable or socially fragile countries by simply moving to another location, protecting the majority of the refinery asset and investment. Going FAR may also provide the opportunity to process small isolated bauxite deposits where it is uneconomical to build a conventional land-based refinery.

Bringing this concept to commercial reality will require outside the square thinking, and many critical questions need to be answered. What are the benefits of FAR? How do the economics compare to a traditional onshore refinery? What is the maximum refinery capacity that would be possible as a floating facility? What changes are required in technology and equipment? What are the major changes to safety and environmental risks and how will they be controlled and managed? Will the FAR design inspire innovations which have application for land-based refineries? This paper will explore the edges of these key questions in search of the future direction for this concept.