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Technical Aspect of Feasibility Study based on My Actual Experience


There are at least two aspects that make a feasibility study sounds: technical aspect and financial aspect. In this post I want to share you the first one: how to make technical aspect of feasibility study.

I have involved in three feasibility study projects. Each project has different technical aspect that being focused. I want to be more practical in this post, so I will share you example of what to write for technical aspect of feasibility study based on my current project. 

Indonesian Government plans to build totally 35,000 MW power plants in Indonesia . The purpose of my current feasibility study was to assess feasibility of several power plants development that included in 35,000 MW power plants project.

The technical aspect in this feasibility included:

#3.1 Study of gas source

In this study, we assessed if gas source is from transmission pipeline or from LNG. We don’t have significant difficulty in deciding which gas form to select because our client actually had already plan that. They sometimes informed us that they already signed MoU with particular gas company. We also got information from Grand Design of National Natural Gas Infrastructure 2015-2030.

#3.2 Study of gas reserve

After we selected or during selection of gas source, we also assessed if the gas source had enough gas reserve. Again, the Grand Design book is very helpful. Because it informed the capacity of gas reserve and contracted and committed consumers.

#3.3 Study of site condition

Before going to site condition study, we received exact information where the power plants will be built from the client. They already conducted rough site survey so they gave us coordinate of the power plant location.

Because the schedule of this feasibility was limited  (we used secondary data and desktop study for almost all aspect in the report), we used Google Earth to check site condition. It was helpful enough.

From Google Earth we check if the LNG carrier route to power plant location have any obstacles or not. Information that we can get from Google Earth is ocean depth. We can only predict from the color, but it was still helpful at this point. This information will lead us to jetty length. Do we need short jetty or long jetty? Do we need to dredge or not? Is the depth enough for the capacity of LNG carrier or not?

In addition to ocean depth, we also need information about the planned area of regasification facility (if it is possible). This information is required when we sized the equipment. Is all equipment fit in the location? Area can be obstacle too. Maybe we should change the orientation of vessel from horizontal to vertical to fit the location.

We also need to evaluate wind condition, wave condition, and earth quake level in the location. Wind condition and wave condition is very important in LNG distribution because it involves ships. About earth quake condition, we need to know it so that we design structure or civil thing according to actual earth quake level.

 #3.4 Milk Run

Because we deal with something that is distributed and collected, so we need to deal with milk run. In this study, we tried to estimate milk run from LNG supplier to each destination. The milk run will be used to estimate LNG storage tank capacity and capacity of LNG carrier.

 #3.4 Technical Concept: regasification schemes, block flow diagram, process simulation, and equipment list

I worked in this part most of all. After we studied all aspects, we tried to make several regasification schemes, prepared simple block flow diagram and process flow diagram, and prepared process simulation to determine equipment capacity.

That’s all I want to share. I hope you find it useful and give you inspiration to prepare technical aspect of feasibility study. Good luck!

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