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New LNG boom opens up opportunities for UK companies


PRESS RELEASE - May 2007

LNG boom opens up opportunities for UK companies
Valves for carriers Another company that is benefiting from the strength of the LNG newbuilding market is Bestobell LNG, a specialist division of Bestobell Valves that was set up earlier this year. The company has recently received an order from Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES) to supply sampling and purging valves for a Shell-owned LNG carrier being built to serve the Sakhalin LNG project and due for delivery in October 2006.

In July this year, Bestobell LNG completed the third our of three deliveries of stainless steel miniature needle globe valves to Samsung for sampling and purging applications on a newbuild LNG carrier for AP Möller. This was the sixth shipset that the company has supplied to date, for Samsung.

Bestobell LNG was launched in March this year, as a means of focusing on the growing LNG market, building on the experience gained by the group in supplying cryogenic valves to Samsung as well as Daewoo. The company's main factory is in Sheffield, which is supported by a distribution network that covers Korea, Qatar, Japan, Norway, China, Finland, Australia, Denmark, Malaysia, and New Zealand.

Product development at Bestobell LNG is said to be "ongoing" and the company has recently introduced a new range of cryogenic globe valves, with sizes from 12.70mm to 406.40mm. These are designed to use both on LNG carriers and onshore installations. According to Andy Brown, director, "Our aim is to educate the market with regard to the correct valve selection. We feel it is our responsibility as an experienced manufacturer of cryogenic valves to inform ship owners, operators and shipyards of the possible implications of using valves that were not originally designed for cryogenic applications".

In a further initiative, Bestobell LNG has introduced a valve maintenance and repair service (VMRS). Mr Brown says, "The main function is to evaluate the serviceability of all the cargo valves and offer maintenance, repair, or replacement services, while a ship is in drydock for routine maintenance. Our field of excellence is cryogenic valves and we understand the demands placed on these valves. We have established a project team that can work directly with the chief and cargo engineers to develop a scope of work and serviceability programme".

The first vessel serviced by the new VMRS was BP's British Merchant. More than 400 sampling and purging valves were overhauled during an 11-day stay in Dubai Drydocks.

"Bestobell LNG - specificed by those who plan for safety"