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Hamworthy Breakthrough reliquefaction plant order
Posted: 15 December 2004
Hamworthy has won orders and a letter of intent totalling £48 million to supply eight LNG reliquefaction systems to the first LNG carriers to use slow-speed diesel propulsion engines – the ships under construction in Korea are also the world’s largest LNG carriers. Hamworthy plc has won orders and a letter of intent to supply liquid natural gas reliquefaction systems for eight ships on order at three shipyards in South Korea: an order for two shipsets from Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Limited (HHI), an order for two shipsets from Samsung Heavy Industries Limited (SHI), and a letter of intent to place an order for four shipsets from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co (DSME). The DSME-built quartet will have a capacity of 210,000m3 each and the other four ships will be 215,000m3.
The eight shipsets of LNG reliquefaction systems, worth a total estimated sales value of £48 million to Hamworthy, will be delivered to the shipyards between April and August 2006. The contract includes engineering the systems, delivery of all the equipment, installation supervision, and commissioning. The ships will start to be delivered from the second half of 2007. Hamworthy has also agreed options with the Korean shipbuilders to supply a further 11 shipsets of LNG reliquefaction systems. These comprise six options from DSME, three from SHI and two from HHI. Kelvyn Derrick, chief executive of Hamworthy, said that: "We are delighted that years of work with the oil majors – notably ExxonMobil – and leading shipyards have paid off. Much of our growth has derived from innovation and this breakthrough means that this should continue into the future". Tore Lunde, director for Hamworthy's liquid natural gas activities, said: "Not only are these LNG carriers the first to be built with low-speed diesel engines and LNG reliquefaction systems, but they are the largest LNG carriers ever to have been ordered – the normal capacity of this type of ship up until now has been between 137,000m3 and 150,000m3." The LNG carriers have been ordered by two separate joint ventures between QatarGas Transport Co and German shipowner Pronav and US based consortium OSG. This is a part of a wider joint venture between ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum planning to bring LNG from the Arabian Gulf to the United Kingdom . All of the ships will be chartered to transport LNG from Qatar Gas II to a new gas processing terminal being built at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales , where 15.6 million tonnes of LNG will be processed each year. Imports to Milford Haven will commence in 2007.
The Technology
The reliquefaction system ordered is based on the technology that was used in the onshore LNG liquefaction plant delivered to Gasnor in Norway in 2003. "The innovative technology was proven in this plant, which, in combination with our successful history of delivering equipment to the marine industry, is the main reason why Hamworthy has been selected to deliver the reliquefaction systems to these vessels," Mr Lunde said. Hamworthy has an exclusive worldwide licence from Moss Maritime to manufacture and sell an element of the system design providing increased efficiency. The remaining parts of the systems are based on Hamworthy's technology which is patent pending. The patented process reliquefies boil-off gas and returns LNG back into the cargo tanks. Total separation between cargo and engine room means that the propulsion system and type of fuel used can be chosen freely. Reliquefaction paves the way for the installation of more efficient propulsion systems on LNG carriers. The efficiency of diesel engines is up to 50 per cent, compared with approximately 30 per cent for a steam turbine plant. This higher efficiency results in lower energy consumption and thus lower operating costs. The economic advantage of diesel engine propulsion translates to a saving of US$2-5 million per year for an LNG carrier depending on size of vessel and on LNG prices. Slow speed diesel engines are already proven and efficient. For many years they have been the dominant propulsion choice for mainstream long-haul trades.
Posted by Editor Pipeline Magazine
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