Fuel gas heater installation at Lonesome Creek Station

Basin Electric's fuel gas heaters located at Pioneer Generation Station. The heater and associated components are attached to the yellow painted framework.

The Basin Electric Board of Directors recently approved the installation of two fuel gas heaters at Lonesome Creek Station, one of Basin Electric’s dispatchable generation facilities located near Watford City, North Dakota.

Lonesome Creek is fueled by natural gas via the Northern Border Pipeline. Natural gas is highly pressurized while traveling through pipelines to ensure it travels efficiently and safely. When natural gas arrives at Lonesome Creek Station, it must be depressurized prior to entering the combustion equipment, which in turn causes the natural gas temperature to drop. As the low temperature natural gas enters the combustion equipment, condensation can start to form on various components (valves, gears, etc.), leading to equipment problems and/or failures.

“Our team monitored equipment functionality at Lonesome Creek for the last two years, and we’ve witnessed 20 equipment failures due to problems associated with condensation,” said Owen McGregor, senior mechanical engineer at Basin Electric. “These failures not only cause disruptions in power supply, but also drive up maintenance costs.”

Investing in fuel gas heaters for the natural gas line is essential to mitigating risks caused by condensation.

“The addition of two heaters to the natural gas line will ensure the natural gas fuel is at the optimal temperature for combustion, strengthening Lonesome Creek Station’s ability to serve our members when they need it most,” said McGregor.

Similar fuel gas heaters are currently in use at Basin Electric’s Pioneer Generation Station near Williston, North Dakota. The average life span of each fuel gas heater is approximately 20 years.

The fuel gas heater project is underway and is estimated to be completed by October 2025.