Intestines, appendages and LNG valves in China
During a recent four-week visit to Asia I was able to identify many changes since first visiting mainland China over 10 years ago. Back then I was making my first foray to sell valves into the LNG business in the country.
When I returned recently to do more of the same, I noticed a whole host of changes – many of which are in the modes of transportation throughout the country, as well as in the LNG business itself. Nothing changes where cuisine is concerned though, it seems. It still takes some fairly big appendages to tackle the actual deep fried animal parts served up on the plate before you.
During a visit to Ordos, Inner Mongolia, this summer I was pleased to be offered the choice of a taxi into town as many were passing the airport terminal on horseback – although it must be said not many of those had briefcases or sample valves hanging from their saddles. During my first visit to the town three years ago it was said during a company dinner that I was one of the first Caucasians that had visited the company, and in view of this many of the employees took the opportunity to join us in the evening.
I am unsure that there were benefits from the spicy intestines on the dinner plate or from the 75% proof Chinese wine, but it did make the evening more pleasurable, so I am told! Today in Ordos, there are many more Westerners around.
I visited Tianjin on this trip to meet with a design institute and on this occasion I took the fast train. Around 10 years ago the progress was a new two-lane motorway and by car it took a lot longer than the 35 minutes taken by train today. It really has been unbelievable, the changes in the cultures and infrastructure in such a short period of time.
Over the same decade there have been many changes in the method of production, transportation and methods of storage of LNG. Since the opening of the first terminals six years ago that gave greater availability of LNG to the key coastal regions, the opening of new gas fields in North West China has given increased volumes. Despite these new sources, the one issue that still exists today is the distribution of the LNG from these sources in the West to the major point of usage in the East. Trans-country piping, railroading and trucking have been debated politically, with the piping of gas from Russia being topical today.
Distribution of LNG will be topical for some time to come, I’m sure. Although we at Herose have supplied valves to over 70 plants and LNG stations throughout China, I see changes ahead in their future requirements. The high demand for energy due to the increase in industrial production, and the need for more domestic fuel during the extreme winters, has instigated a number of process and manufacturing developments.
Today, many pressure vessels are being fabricated on sites that have capacities in excess of 10,000 m3 that now require larger valves and systems. The large increase in the number of production plants being fabricated in the North West region is also seeing a requirement for higher pressure equipment, while factors like safety and reliability remain critical when used in trailers and rail wagons.
Although most of the changes throughout China are undoubtedly for the better, I am still a little unsure on the suggested benefits of including wild boar penis on the dinner menu!
