The Lebanese gas pipeline 24” and its components are considered as a vital lifeline for improving the economic development in Lebanon and trough it, Deir Ammar power plant is being supplied with the alternative power, the natural gas that provides the Lebanese country with a significant financial and economic welfare.It also improves the performance of machinery and equipment and preserves the environment and public safety. The gas pipeline 24” found in the installations is considered as the first infrastructure in the field of machinery, equipment and pipelines since the project of this pipeline 24” is said to have in the future wide extensions along the Lebanese coast in order to supply the entire electricity plants and the different industrial factories with the alternative power, the natural gas, which also increases energy prices in different factories in Lebanese.

The Components of the Lebanese Gas Pipeline Project

The Lebanese gas pipeline consists of the following parts:

1-  Gas pipeline 24” is 30 km long, extending from the Lebanese-Syrian border through Addabosiya to the Tripoli installations connected to the wide network (the Arab Gas Pipeline) through the Syrian network and the Jordanian network coming from the Egyptian network via El Arish.

2-   The pipeline is equipped with a cathodic protection through four stations along the line course, in addition to the solar energy which nourishes the cathodic protection.

3-  The pipeline is equipped with an optical cable which transmits all signals and required information between stations for work facilitation.

4-   The pigging launcher station

The Lebanese gas pipeline is equipped, on the Lebanese-Syrian borders, with the pigging launcher station which is used to sweep and clean the pipeline and to insert nitrogen in order to launch gas. We use this station for the maintenance and the operations of the pipeline.

5-   Measuring Station in the Installation

The gas launched from Syria through the gas pipeline 24”, is being received in the station of filtration and measurement in the installation where the quantities of gas are being controlled and filtered, in addition to calculating quantities and controlling quality.

The maximum power for the process of filtration and measurement in the station is:

250.000 m3/h, which is equivalent to 6.000.000 m3/day

6-  Pipeline 10” from the installations to Deir Ammar power plant

- The length of pipeline 10” is approx. 1.3 km. It is equipped with the pigging launcher and pigging receiver. This line is used for transmitting the natural gas from the installation - the measurement and filtration station, to the station of reducing pressure in Deir Ammar power plant.

7-   The station of reducing pressure in Deir Ammar power Plant

- This station consists of filtration and measurement equipments and boilers by which the temperature of gas is being raised, and thus, the pressure can be reduced through the station of reducing pressure.  This process is also required to supply the turbine units in Deir Ammar Plant with the natural gas in accordance with the following characteristics:

- The maximum power for launching gas through the station of reduction is 105.000 m3/hr, which is equivalent to approx. 2.500.00 m3/day within the permanent capability. This quantity is sufficient for activating Deir Ammar Plant turbine no.2. 

- Power required for every turbine: 50.000 * 24 = 1.200.000 m3/day.

- Total power required for every turbine no.2: 2.400.000 m3/day.

- Power of Deir Ammar Plant for electricity:  450 MW.

8-  The construction of the Lebanese pipeline gas started on 2003 and ended on 2007. It was activated on 2009 after completing all required experiments, in cooperation with the Egyptian Company for Natural Gas-GASCO. Then, on 8/9/2009, the gas was launched into the pipeline and on 11/11/2009 the pipeline was perpetually run.

9-   The Ministry and the Installation Plan  

This plan aims at expanding the use of natural gas in all over Lebanese for the sake of saving money, developing the economy and protecting the environment against pollution. The gas project in Lebanon is required to be among the plans which aim at reducing the financial deficit in Lebanon through the use of this material and the future prospecting for the natural gas material in the specific economic region in Lebanon and through constructing the entire network along the Lebanese coast of length 195 km nourishing all plants and industrial factories found along the coast. The ministry also intends to use the LNG material to transfer it into natural gas, in case it is not available to launch the natural gas from Egypt - Syria.