The transition to cleaner energy sources relies heavily on natural gas as a key bridging fuel. After liquefaction for overseas transport, it is ultimately unloaded and regasified at liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminals. The stable operation of these terminals depends significantly on their "heart" – the cryogenic compressor. The level of domestic production for this core equipment is directly linked to the security of the national energy supply chain.
Recently, Sinopec Machinery secured a project to supply additional cryogenic high-pressure natural gas compressors for the Shenzhen LNG terminal. This signifies that another major domestic LNG receiving station will be equipped with a "Chinese heart".
From Zero to One: A Decade and a Half of Dedication
In 2012, Sinopec Machinery initiated its domestic R&D effort for cryogenic natural gas compressors. At that time, compressors for LNG terminals in China were almost entirely imported. Leveraging over three decades of expertise in reciprocating compressor technology, the R&D team tackled the extreme operating conditions of LNG boil-off gas at cryogenic temperatures (minus 162°C). They successively overcame core technical challenges including low-temperature material selection and oil-free lubrication throughout the compression process. Their independently developed cold energy recovery technology has garnered multiple patents.
The latest iteration of the new cryogenic compressor features a low main engine speed of 375r/min and a piston force reaching 40 tons. This enables efficient pressurization of large volumes of boil-off gas under low energy consumption, making it particularly well-suited for the long-term, stable operation of large-scale LNG receiving terminals.
More crucially, Sinopec Machinery has established an industry-leading integrated whole-machine testing platform. This allows for load testing that simulates real-world operating conditions before the units leave the factory, ensuring they "meet standards upon delivery and are ready for immediate use upon installation".
In 2025, the company won the bid for the high-pressure reciprocating compressor project at the Longkou LNG facility, marking a leap from handling standard boil-off gas conditions to managing chemical-grade high-pressure scenarios. The recent success in securing the Shenzhen project signals a further expansion of the market footprint for domestic cryogenic compressors along China's coastal LNG terminal network.
Since securing its first order at the end of 2012, Sinopec Machinery's domestically produced cryogenic compressors have achieved industrial-grade application at multiple LNG terminals, including those in Tianjin, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai. Their deployment now covers a variety of complex scenarios, from conventional onshore receiving stations to floating LNG terminals and offshore platforms. Through fourteen years of focused development, the company has remained steadfast in its goal of mastering key core technologies. In the context of ensuring national energy equipment autonomy and controllability, the delivery of each domestically manufactured compressor contributes to strengthening national energy security.
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