Over 70% of global LNG production flows through Emerson’s valves

We offer a comprehensive range of products engineered to support continuous and reliable operation in the LNG industry. Among our valve solutions, the Fisher™ FIELDVUE™ digital valve controller stands out for its intelligent diagnostics, enabling real-time monitoring, proactive maintenance, and early detection of potential issues—all while helping to reduce emissions. FIELDVUE™ digital valve controllers further enhance safety by supporting partial stroke testing and solenoid health monitoring, ensuring compliance with stringent SIL requirements in LNG applications.

Another key innovation is the enhanced Fisher™ ENVIRO-SEAL™ Control Valve Packing System, which effectively minimizes fugitive emissions, including methane and other packing-related leaks, through superior sealing performance.

We also provide upgrade solutions for legacy equipment, incorporating emission-reducing packing technologies to meet modern environmental standards. From a safety standpoint, our extensive portfolio includes SIL-rated products and advanced safety systems. Learn more about our valve, actuator, and regulator solutions for the LNG industry.

We're observing significant momentum in the LNG market. Activity has ramped up considerably, with the emergence of larger vessels, expanded storage capacities, and increasingly complex operational demands. This growth in scale reflects a broader industry trend toward higher throughput and efficiency. All indicators point to continued expansion, making this a dynamic and promising space to keep an eye on.

While progress is being made and projects are moving forward, logistical challenges could delay infrastructure development by 18 to 24 months. The market demand still supports future LNG growth, but that downtime presents a valuable opportunity for customers to focus on preparation and optimization.

This is the ideal time to revisit best practices—such as reducing vibration and noise, and ensuring valves are properly sized and selected.

If the process data is already established, customers can shift their attention to other critical areas that often cause project delays. For example, reviewing and aligning on the Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) ensures that when valves are ready to be ordered and shipped, all stakeholders—Emerson, the customer, and the engineering contractor—are on the same page regarding testing protocols for both critical and general service valves.

Additionally, this window is perfect for developing a robust startup and commissioning plan. Questions like: Are critical valves being installed before or after hydrotesting? Are flushing trims or spare parts available?—are best addressed early. These conversations help avoid last-minute surprises and ensure a smoother path to startup.

Emerson is well-positioned to support customers through this planning phase, helping them use this time strategically to reduce risk and accelerate execution once infrastructure projects resume.

Emerson should be engaged as early as possible in the project lifecycle. Early involvement allows us to participate in technical discussions, optimize solution selection, and ultimately help reduce costs and avoid delays down the line. It also gives us visibility into upcoming needs, enabling better alignment and support.

This applies not only to new facilities and greenfield projects, but also to existing operations. We’re seeing a growing number of debottlenecking efforts where facilities aim to increase throughput—these are critical opportunities to engage Emerson. Reviewing high-impact applications early can help ensure the right solutions are in place.

Additionally, planned turnarounds and maintenance events are ideal times to involve us. We can assist with walkdowns of critical applications, evaluate current solutions, and identify opportunities to improve instrumentation, reduce vibration, and enhance overall reliability.

In short, whether it’s a new build, a capacity expansion, or routine maintenance, early engagement with Emerson ensures better outcomes across the board.

Testing and maintenance intervals are ultimately up to the user, as it may depend on area guidelines, company guidelines, or frequency of valve opening. For valves not yet installed, such as spares, the same frequency should still be followed. If there are specific requirements for a product that require a testing frequency, this is communicated in the Installation & Maintenance instructions.

Emerson has a lot of experience on the regasification side of the value chain as well. We do need to pay close attention to the phase change from liquid to gas as the LNG warms.  Detailed process data is key for valve sizing and selection.  Because we are typically dealing with true LNG in a regas facility, we are more concerned with the phase change than outgassing, as Joe discussed in the webinar. We will utilize valves with hardened drilled hole trim and expanded outlets to handle the gas expansion as the process moves through the valve.  Noise also needs to be taken into consideration.

Yes, we have seen LNG-focused EPCs leverage lessons learned and apply optimized solutions for these critical applications. Emerson has worked closely with many EPCs to improve the designs of these critical applications. If we are involved early in the process, the client is typically very receptive, often during the FEED stage of the project.  If we get too far down the line, it is difficult to modify piping, change process data, etc.  We would be happy to lead those conversations between the end user and EPC and talk about the benefits of early design work and optimized solutions.

Automating manual valves with smart technology like smart valve positioners can help detect early issues before they become major problems.  Moving the facility from reactive maintenance practices to proactive maintenance using online diagnostics can help keep plants running optimally. Detecting air leaks or poorly performing valves through valve health monitoring can give visibility into poorly performing valves that can be upgraded at the next turnaround and improve operation.

Emerson has a flow metering team and conducts a significant amount of business in this market space. For flow control valves, it is best to make sure you have a flow control valve with limited lost motion to provide accurate flow regulation. Sliding stem designs provide the optimal performance but cannot always meet the capacity. Rotary valves are great for capacity, but you must ensure you leverage splined valve shaft/actuator connections and optimized ball/shaft connections (splined or polygon style) to minimize lost motion.  Ideally, a high-performance valve actuator and positioner are also used.

Emerson can help provide efficient solutions for replacements by ensuring that the new product meets or exceeds the capability of the previously supplied PRV. This means ensuring capacity is met, temperature capabilities are enhanced, and the physical dimensions for installation remain the same. A seamless changeover can be supplied with minimal impact to your process, resulting in improvements such as higher operating pressure capability and productivity.

For sliding stem valves, as valve size starts to get above a 16-inch or 20-inch, it makes much more sense to go to an angle valve.  Typically, these are smaller castings, more compact packages, and lighter weights.  You can get a lot more Cv out of a 20x30” angle valve than a 30” globe valve with a lot less material, weight, and cost. Piping does not always allow for angle valves, but in LNG, there are a lot of benefits in compressor anti-surge valves leveraging angle designs.  Typically, downstream piping is much larger than upstream piping for these applications, and angle designs allow for more flexibility.

We leverage technology within the FIELDVUE DVC6200 SIS device. Check the link for more information.

For control valves, we are leveraging IEC 60534 Part 2-3 for sizing, IEC 60534-8-3 for noise prediction. We design valves in accordance with ASME B16.34.  Control valve leakage classes at ambient temperature are based on IEC 60534-4 / ANSI 70-2.  To test control valve leakage at cryogenic temperatures, it is best to use the ISA 75.27 Cryogenic Control Valve Leakage standard.

For pressure relief valves, the two most frequently referenced organizations that publish requirements are the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Petroleum Institute (API). The most important ASME Codes for design pressure relief valves are ASME Section I (Power Boilers), ASME Section III (Nuclear), ASME Section VIII (Unfired Pressure Vessel Code), and ASME Section XIII (Rules for Overpressure Protection). For sizing, API 520 & API 2000 are used. When reference is made to seat leakage and the method for evaluating its magnitude, API standard 527 – Seat Tightness of Pressure Relief Valves is used, even for cryogenic applications.

This varies significantly by customer and the composition of the feed gas to the LNG facility. Typically, this is requested from the user to leverage NACE materials in specific applications.

Valve materials are pretty standard in the LNG space. We do see more alloy material in the pre-treatment facilities tied to sour gas. Emerson has a long history of material testing with our labs, supplier qualifications, and casting tryouts to ensure we are getting the best material to meet the application requirements.

We have our Fisher Specification Managers sizing software available online, and we also offer free training courses at your office on valve sizing 101. For pressure relief valves, a program called PRV2Size is used, and while not yet online, it is a program that can be downloaded to size and select a PRV. You can learn more here. Feel free to reach out, and we would be glad to assist you.

You can connect with Joe via joseph.demonte@emerson.com or LinkedIn. You can connect with Caitlin via caitlin.carroll@emerson.com or LinkedIn.