LNG Canada Export Terminal

To accommodate approximately 13 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG), LNG Canada has embarked on the first phase of construction for a facility and marine export terminal in Kitimat, British Columbia. This project will be the first LNG export facility in Canada and, at full build-out, will be the largest capital investment in this country to date.

We provided coordination, management, and engineering analysis for the geotechnical aspects for the front-end engineering design phase. The land-based portion of the LNG terminal will cover 40 hectares (99 acres) in steep and mountainous terrain, requiring significant re-grading to provide level areas to build storage tanks, process facilities, and administration buildings. The offshore facilities include a materials offload facility (MOF) jetty for the LNG tankers, a construction wharf, and a temporary conveyor system to offload aggregate from the site.

The MOF is a 550-metre (1,804-foot) long pipe combi-wall wharf used to berth heavy lift vessels delivering construction materials and modules for the project. We are also designing the primary LNG loadout berth consisting of a continuation of the MOF bulkhead plus several integrated piled berthing dolphins, piled mooring dolphins, and the pile-supported loading platform.

A key consideration for the proposed layout is to locate the LNG tanks on suitable bedrock or soil so the tanks would not be at risk in an earthquake. Work included an extensive subsurface investigation, seismic modeling, and rock stability and slope stability assessments.

Our integrated approach to structural and geotechnical design and use of 3D modeling to communicate the design of the quay wall and piles structures is helping both our clients meet their tight timelines while also following the strict code requirements for this landmark project.