About Shell MDS in Bintulu, Sarawak – Malaysia
Proudly based in Bintulu, Sarawak, Shell MDS (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd uses Shell’s proprietary Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis process, built on 3500 patents, to convert natural gas into hydrocarbon liquids.
A range of high-quality finished products are created from these hydrocarbon liquids, including GTL waxes, drilling fluids and chemicals. The end products produced by Shell MDS contain almost none of the impurities – sulphur, aromatics and nitrogen – that are found in crude oil, which means that they are cleaner and safer for us and for the environment.
Shell MDS began its commercial operations in 1993. Today, it is home to approximately 400 staff, 89% of which come from Sarawak state, showcasing the distinct talent and capabilities of Sarawak-ians.
In 2018, Shell MDS commemorated its 25 years of service, and its journey to bring Bintulu to the world continues.
Location: Bintulu, Sarawak
Category: Gas-to-Liquids plant
Ownership: Shell (72%), Mitsubishi (14%), Sarawak state (7%), PETRONAS (7%)
Operator: Shell
Capacity: 500,000 tonnes of liquid and solid hydrocarbon products per year
No. of Employees: Approximately 400 (of which 98% are Malaysian, 89% from Sarawak state)
THE FISCHER-TROPSCH GAS-TO-LIQUID (GTL) TECHNOLOGY
Shell – Gas to liquids (GTL) | Shell Natural Gas
Title: Gas to Liquids (GTL)
Duration: 5:25 minutes
Description:
Animation explaining how the GTL technology works and how it can bring value to a country, and showing Shell’s capabilities and history in the GTL business.
[Background music plays]
Upbeat orchestral music
[Graphic]
A globe appears from a flat surface with grid lines and starts turning. A timeline with years 2015, 2020, 2030, 2040 en 2050 appears on the side of the globe.
[Text displays]
2015, 2020, 2030, 2040 en 2050
[Voice over]
To meet the world’s growing energy demands, bringing new supply sources to market is critical.
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[Graphic]
The timeline disappears and blue dots appear on each continent on the globe.
[Text displays]
Gas resources are plentiful
and geographically diverse
[Voice over]
Gas resources are plentiful, and geographically diverse. Globally we see strong demand for natural gas – the cleanest burning fossil fuel.
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[Graphic]
Circular shape of the globe turns into a gas burner and then the gas burner turns into a gas storage tank.
[Text displays]
Liquefied Natural Gas LNG, Gas to Liquids GTL
[Voice over]
Shell is a leading company in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas-to-liquids (GTL). Let’s look at GTL.
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[Graphic]
5 glasses filled with a clear fluid appear on the surface with gridlines
[Text displays]
Creates an additional route to monetise a country’s resources of natural gas
[Voice over]
GTL creates an additional route to monetise a country’s resources of natural gas by turning them into high quality liquid fuels and products.
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[Graphic]
A yellow map of a fictional country appears. Further fictional countries are added to the map.
[Text displays]
Creates an additional route to monetise a country’s resources of natural gas
[Voice over]
It offers a way to access the international oil products market, which is vast and global. This is attractive when gas markets are remote, and when gas resource holders want to diversify risk. We believe that combining a partner’s local expertise and know-how…
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[Graphic]
A turning globe is shown.
[Voice over]
…with Shell’s global reach, leading technology and project delivery experience can be synergetic.
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[Graphic]
The camera follows the gridlines of the surface until 4 chemical vessels and connecting tubes appear.
[Text displays]
Shell’s GTL Technology
Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis
[Voice over]
GTL is the umbrella term for the technology that is used to produce a suite of synthetic hydrocarbon liquids through the Fischer-Tropsch process. At the heart of Shell’s GTL technology is the proprietary Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis process.
Scene transition
[Graphic]
Zoom in on the first 2 vessels on the left, in which there are several molecules moving around and flowing between the vessel. Further zoom in on 3 molecules with coloured atoms that transform into 6 molecules with a different atom structure.
[Text displays]
Natural gas is partially oxidised to create a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide
[Voice over]
The GTL process consists of three stages: In the first stage, natural gas is partially oxidised to create a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which is then known as synthesis gas, or syngas. Impurities are removed from the syngas.
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[Graphic]
Move to the third vessel in which several molecules and cylinder shapes are moving around. Further zoom in on 3 molecules with coloured atoms that transform into 2 molecules with a different atom structure.
[Text displays]
Converts the synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons using a catalyst
[Voice over]
The second stage converts the synthesis gas into liquid hydrocarbons using a catalyst. In this stage, a liquid is formed which looks and feels like wax at room temperature.
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[Graphic]
Move to the fourth vessel in which several molecule chains are moving around. Zoom in 3 different chains of molecule chains, which are different in length and atom structure.
[Text displays]
Cracking and isomerisation
[Voice over]
The final stage is cracking and isomerisation, which ‘cuts’ the molecule chains into shorter lengths. This yields high quality liquids such as diesel, kerosene and lubricant oil.
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[Graphic]
A drop of a clear liquid falls into a laboratory beaker.
[Text displays]
GTL products
Colourless, odourless liquid hydrocarbons
Very low levels of impurities like sulphur, aromatics and nitrogen
[Voice over]
GTL products are colourless, odourless liquid hydrocarbons of very high quality that have very low levels of impurities like sulphur, aromatics and nitrogen.
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[Graphic]
Three stacks of plastic cups appears on the surface and starts turning.
[Text displays]
GTL naphtha
[Voice over]
GTL products include: GTL naphtha, which is used as a feedstock for chemical plants to produce building blocks for the plastics industry;
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[Graphic]
An airplane appears on the surface and starts turning.
[Text displays]
GTL kerosene
[Voice over]
GTL kerosene, which can be blended with aircraft fuel or used for heating and lighting
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[Graphic]
A bottle of washing liquid appears on the surface and starts turning.
[Text displays]
GTL normal paraffin
[Voice over]
GTL normal paraffin, a premium feedstock for detergent production
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[Graphic]
A Diesel dispenser appears and starts turning.
[Text displays]
GTL gas oil
[Voice over]
GTL gasoil, which is an alternative diesel fuel
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[Graphic]
A bottle of lubricants appears on the surface and starts turning.
[Text displays]
GTL base oil
[Voice over]
GTL base oil, a high quality base material for finished lubricants in engines, and
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[Graphic]
Three burning candles appear on the surface and start turning.
[Text displays]
GTL wax
[Voice over]
GTL wax which is a high quality product used in applications ranging from adhesives to printing inks, candles, construction and food packaging materials.
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[Graphic]
A turning globe appears with the products which were shown in the previous scenes turning around it.
[Voice over]
Shell’s involvement with gas-to-liquids has been a 40 year journey of technology and product innovation.
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[Graphic]
The products disappear and the camera zooms in on the globe, on Malaysia. A red dot appears on the map.
[Text displays]
Malaysia
Bintulu
The world’s first commercial GTL plant
[Voice over]
Shell has been active in Malaysia since 1891 and opened the world’s first commercial GTL plant in Bintulu in 1993.
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[Graphic]
A GTL plant is shown and the camera moves slowly around the plant showing some equipment.
[Text displays]
Joint Venture with PETRONAS, Mitsubishi and the Sarawak state
Almost all of the staff and marketers are Malaysian
[Voice over]
We operate this plant on behalf of the Joint Venture with PETRONAS, Mitsubishi and the Sarawak state; almost all of the staff and marketers at our Bintulu facility are Malaysian.
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[Graphic]
A map of Qatar with a red dot appears.
[Text displays]
Qatar
Pearl GTL
[Voice over]
We work in close partnership with Qatar Petroleum in the Pearl GTL plant…
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[Graphic]
A GTL plant is shown and the camera moves slowly around the plant showing some equipment.
[Text displays]
Ramped up to full production at the end of 2012
Largest GTL plant in the world
Shell continues to improve its GTL technology
Enhancing design
Adding new GTL products
Optimising the process
[Voice over]
….which ramped up to full production at the end of 2012 and is the largest GTL plant in the world.
Shell continues to improve its GTL technology, enhancing design, adding new GTL products, and optimising the process, including research work in the Netherlands, Germany, Qatar and Malaysia.
Scene transition
[Graphic]
A top view of a GTL plant configuration is shown which changes from a large configuration to a smaller configuration with less equipment.
[Text displays]
Considerable flexibility in capacity
[Voice over]
Recognising that there is a demand in the market for smaller GTL facilities between the size of our Bintulu plant and Pearl GTL, Shell has developed a GTL technology concept that could allow considerable flexibility in capacity. It builds on Shell’s proven GTL capability and leadership.
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[Graphic]
A GTL plant is shown and the camera moves slowly around the plant showing some equipment. Then it zooms out from a top view of the plant and a turning globe appears.
[Text displays]
Proven track record of GTL commercial performance and innovation
[Voice over]
Shell has a proven track record of GTL commercial performance and innovation in close cooperation with host governments and partners.
With recent advances unlocking vast new supplies of natural gas across the globe, we see more opportunities for GTL to help a country to boost its economy by building up local gas based industry.
Shell pioneered the Fischer-Tropsch gas-to-liquids (GTL) technology in the world’s first full scale GTL plant of its kind in Bintulu, Malaysia, achieving commercial GTL production in 1993.
It is the culmination of 25 years of research into the utilisation of natural gas for the production of synthetic waxes, fuels and specialty chemicals, according to the GTL process diagram below.
Inside Shell MDS
Shell GTL Products (Gas to Liquid)
Explore our range of high-quality finished products including GTL waxes, drilling base fluids, chemicals & fuels.
Safety Culture, Work Environment and Goal Zero at Shell MDS
At Shell MDS, we are fully committed to Goal Zero – no harm and no leaks across our operation.
Shell MDS on Bintulu Community, Employment & Road Safety
Shell MDS has been part of the Bintulu community for 25 years and is committed to ensuring that the local community shares in the benefits of our operations.