2016 • A supplement to LNG World Shipping
SHIPPING INNOVATION LNG shipping gets smarter, faster, cleaner and more cost-conscious Hull 1718 pushes boundaries in LNGC design Transfer-arm innovation supports ship-to-ship LNG bunkering
“As global LNG moves towards shorter, more flexible contracts, ship designs are evolving to suit that shift. Creole Spirit is built to be as efficient and flexible as possible” Jacek Polak, Creole Spirit master, see page XVI
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Innovation COMMENT | I
LNG shipping and the drive to innovate
T
he headlines of recent months leave little doubt – it really is cold and bleak out there for many of us involved in the business of LNG shipping. Slowing or static demand in Asia and Europe, a mounting supply glut, excess shipping capacity, spiralling project costs and prices hitting new lows in the middle of the northern hemisphere winter – all are cause for growing concern about future prospects, in the boardrooms and in the press. Shipowners and managers are under growing pressure to cut their costs and to improve their efficiency, to respond to the seismic shift away from the longterm contracts that have dominated the industry and towards an increase in shortterm and spot cargoes. So far, so gloomy – and yet, and yet... all these pressures also present an opportunity for companies that can help owners and managers to respond to ever tougher times. Savvy equipment makers and developers of innovative software that can demonstrate how and why their products cut costs and improve efficiency are finding receptive audiences. That is why LNG World Shipping decided to launch its first LNG shipping innovation supplement with this magazine – to highlight the companies coming up with creative new solutions, to promote fresh thinking and to explore ways that all of us can do business better. Much of this has to do with taking a more joined-up approach to what we do. Integrated software quality management
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(ISQM) is not a new discipline, but it is something that owners and operators of LNG carriers are looking at more closely now as ships’ systems, often sourced from multiple suppliers, become ever more complex in a commercial environment that is ever more cut-throat. Ship design is another frontier in the battle for smarter LNG shipping. Bureau Veritas, Total and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) have designed a new-generation LNG carrier to offer greater energy efficiency in tomorrow’s more flexible trades. See what modifications they suggest on page II. In Japan, the ship known only as Hull 1718 already has a game-changing design. Owned by K Line, commissioned by INPEX and built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries to deliver LNG from Australia’s Ichthys project to CPC in Taiwan, Hull 1718 pushes new limits in LNGC design. Our ship profile on page xvii examines its innovative containment, propulsion and boil-off gas solutions. Our Viewpoint this issue features Teekay LNG master Jacek Polak, interviewed as he prepared Creole Spirit, the first LNG newbuilding fitted with a dual-fuel ME-GI engine, to set off on its maiden voyage. Black & Veatch is looking at ways to develop flexible floating LNG vessels that can cope with the expected and the unexpected, to deliver gas when and where it is needed. “Operational flexibility is critical for a successful FLNG project,” co-authors Javid Talib and Shawn Hoffart conclude. It’s a mantra that resonates across our industry. When times are tough, perhaps all of us can benefit from a more flexible, joined-up approach. LNG
“Our LNG shippinginnovation supplement explores fresh thinking and creative solutions”
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
IV | SOFTWARE
LNGC CONTROL SYSTEMS NEED A JOINED-UP APPROACH Integrated software quality management (ISQM) is not new – or new to shipping. But classification society ABS is seeing growing interest in the idea from owners of LNG carriers as ships become more sophisticated and install equipment sourced from multiple suppliers
RIGHT: LNG shipping can use ISQM to improve transparency, to identify and lower risk and to improve system testing
A
s modern ships have become larger and more complex, the machinery components that control their critical operations have become ever more reliant on interconnected IT systems. Gas-carrying vessels are no exception. Owners and operators of LNGCs – some of the most complex ships in the global fleet – are increasingly aware of the need to manage the issues associated with system compatibility. “Sophisticated electronic control systems on ships have increased dramatically and have yielded many benefits, but sometimes at the expense of operational simplicity and transparency,” says ABS assistant chief engineer Paul Walters. Gas carriers contain many safety-critical and
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
operational systems that are linked together in the cause of carrying and delivering cargo safely and efficiently. These systems are controlled by software running in numerous networked control systems, so that safety and the mission depend on interconnected systems. Because such components are typically sourced from multiple suppliers, there is an elemental risk that the installed systems are not correctly programmed or compatible. For example, systems that control a fundamental process such as the starting of the main engine could be in the form of a network of equipment from, say, six suppliers along with and accompanying programing from six different suppliers that have been networked together. Data
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VI | SOFTWARE
All at sea
In a recent example, an owner of newly delivered LNG carriers reported that the ships suffered persistent problems in various process systems and experienced software issues that only became evident at sea. Troubles included multiple unexpected boiler shutdowns, system blackouts, radar malfunctions and gasmanagement issues. Whereas in the past an owner could rely on a chief engineer to diagnose and repair most systems that relied on mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic controls, in the case of the new LNGCs, the owner believed the defects were associated with numerous supplier software updates. On today’s vessels it is challenging to diagnose the root cause of such problems, let alone fix them without supplier involvement. This presents a challenge to more than just crews, however. Experience indicates that supplier representatives face similar challenges, particularly when working on legacy equipment of which a technician may have little experience. “This risk grows every year for both the owners and suppliers,” say Mr Walters. When faced with these constraints, owners of LNG carriers are turning to ABS for solutions. The class society has leveraged its Integrated Software Quality Management (ISQM) notation to support the integration of critical marine and process control systems. Software must be engineered and tested, and then the owner must rigorously manage updates to maintain its integrity. ISQM describes how critical systems should perform together so that their hardware and controlling software can be tested correctly to improve the owner’s expectation that these systems will operate as they should. ISQM facilitates a supplier’s functional description so the specification and expectations of the owner are achieved the first time. Normal operations failure routines are described, and both facilitate the testing scope. After delivery, this process supports the owner. ABS monitors the suppliers to maintain
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
engineering discipline on software updates. "ISQM is designed to work as a bridge among all the parties involved during vessel construction – and afterwards – so software is correctly described by the supplier and meets the owner’s specification and expectations,” Mr Walters says. “Our experience is that there often is a gap. ISQM enables owners to apply a systematic process, improving delivered-system integrity and the ability to maintain integrity with maintenance updates.” ABS reports that suppliers and owners are increasingly adopting this approach. Both are willing to work under ISQM because it provides transparency, identifies and lowers safety and environmental risks, and offers the opportunity for more comprehensive testing. To achieve this, the supplier provides complete information, which facilitates additional softwaretesting scenarios. As a result of the additional testing, commissioning may be less arduous, allowing the crew to focus on mechanical issues. “The process provides the secondary benefit of creating good quality documentation that is applicable to internal training and to reviewing proposed updates – either new functionality or corrections to code – as a step in the Software Management of Change process,” Mr Walters concludes. “For suppliers, it can be seen as a marketing tool since it provides a feedback loop that can improve their products. ABS uses the owner-approved functional description as the acceptance document. “The system must perform as described. No exceptions.” LNG
“The system must perform as described. No exceptions”
(credit: KamiPhuc [creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode])
and commands must reach the systems rapidly and be placed in the exact register designated to enable the function to occur. These issues can also extend to software bug fixes, updates and upgrades. Suppliers may be experts with their equipment but not necessarily knowledgeable when it comes to the requirements of connected systems. If one supplier wants to update its system, perhaps an engine controller, it may not realise the effect this could have on other connected systems, especially if the supplier changes the purpose of any interfaced register.
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EQUIPMENT | IX
LNG SHIP-TO-SHIP BUNKERING GETS ARTICULATED Individual, vessel-mounted LNG transfer arms developed by FMC and GTT will boost ship-to-ship bunkering
L
NG bunkering by means of ship-toship (STS) transfers is set to proliferate. Today, this method of fuelling ships is utilised only in Stockholm, where the small, converted bunker vessel Seagas transfers about 70 tonnes of LNG daily to the passenger cruise ferry Viking Grace using flexible cryogenic hoses. But two other STS transfer technologies have been developed for LNG bunkering and both are set for their first applications in tandem with the first dedicated fuelling vessels under construction. Although the new concepts both feature vessel-mounted, articulated arms, there are important differences between the two.
FMC’s rigid approach
FMC Technologies’ new bunkering offloading arm (BOA) for ship-toship LNG refuelling is a natural progression from its established shore-based and offshore loading arm concepts. Like the arms for the other two applications, the new BOA is made of rigid, articulated piping and equipped with Chiksan swivel joints as well as FMC’s proven quick connect/ disconnect coupler (QC/
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FMC’s BOA transfer technology can be modified for specific applications according to three main design parameters
DC) and emergency-release system (ERS) technologies. The engineering company’s marine loading arm division at Sens in France initially developed a set of BOA designs covering several possible bunkering configurations but in 2014, when Shell chose the arm for mounting on its 6,500m³ LNG bunker vessel building at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding in South Korea, FMC progressed the project to an actual LNGtransfer system. Close co-operation between FMC and Shell engineers since the contract signing has brought the development work full circle. The counterbalanced BOA is essentially a scaled-down version of FMC’s jetty-mounted loading arms. Because it is mounted on a vessel subject to dynamic motions during transfer operations, the BOA also incorporates motioncompensating features from the company’s offshore arms. “Development of the BOA system did not pose any direct design obstacles per se,” says FMC business development manager Eric Morilhat. “Rather, it was the lack of applicable standards for LNG bunker transfers and the need to accommodate operational constraints such as variable
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
X | EQUIPMENT
manifold arrangements that posed greater challenges. “As the relevant standards are still under development, for our pioneering BOA system we had to make use of other norms not fully adapted to this application.” The BOA for the Shell vessel incorporates an 8in liquid line and a 6in vapour return line, both of which can accommodate a maximum operating pressure of 19 barg (2,000 kPa). The liquid line can handle LNG flow rates of up to 1,100 m3/hour. The inboard arm for the liquid line is 8.5m long and the outboard arm is 10m. The vapour line is piggybacked on the liquid line and the BOA, articulated in both the vertical and horizontal planes, can rotate a full 270˚. The remote-operated arm’s ERS uses a single hydraulic actuator to operate the two double ball valve assemblies fitted on each line. The arrangement is geared to providing perfectly synchronised disconnections and a level of integrity equivalent to that in conventional LNGC cargotransfer operations. Shell is set to take delivery of its bunker vessel from STX early next year. FMC points out that the BOA will not require periodic inspection and replacement as is the case for systems based on flexible hoses. “FMC is supporting the LNG-fuelled vessel concept by developing LNG bunkering transfer designs, including BOA, for specific project applications,” Mr Morilhat says. “The three main design drivers
GTT’s Reach4 mast adapts an existing oil bunker fuel transfer system
are the range of LNG-fuelled vessels to be handled, the bunkering operation frequency and the maximum bunkering time accepted. Once these main parameters are identified and specified, FMC is able to provide the transfer system that is the optimum, in terms of cost, safety and reliability, for the given application.”
Reach4 the skies
Gaz Transport & Technigaz (GTT) is another French engineering company whose generic vessel-mounted transfer system design has been specified for an LNG bunker vessel newbuilding. GTT’s Reach4 bunker mast system for STS bunkering operations is being fitted on the non-propelled, 2,200m3 LNG tank barge that the Conrad shipyard at Orange in the US state of Texas is building for a consortium comprising WesPac
“We have established a partnership with the French yard CNIM covering the construction of Reach4”
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
and Clean Marine Energy (CME). It is the first application of this GTT technology. The unmanned barge will be utilised in Jacksonville, Florida to bunker the two LNG-powered containerships that TOTE operates on its route to Puerto Rico. The deck-mounted Reach4 mast comprises a 20m lattice boom structure supporting a liquid line and a vapour return line, each linking to the manifold of the receiving ship via a flexible cryogenic hose. These hoses are also utilised at the mast pedestal to link the arm’s lines with the bunker vessel’s LNG systems. A passive, drybreak QC/ DC system and emergency shutdown (ESD) valves are fitted on the lines at the connection point with the outboard hoses. Any excessive stress on the flexible hose triggers an emergency disconnect and a hose brake is in place to control the fall. The Reach4 system has been designed for a flow rate of up to 900 m³/hour but GTT points out that it is easy to upgrade the concept to handle greater flows. “We have established a partnership with the French yard CNIM covering the construction of Reach4,” says Gillaume Gelin, head of product development
with GTT’s LNG as fuel division. “The arrangement provides shipbuilders with the options of either building the Reach4 mast to GTT plans themselves or ordering it from CNIM. “Conrad is manufacturing the Reach4 arm for the WesPac/CME barge. “Although custody transfer is not a direct part of our Reach4 package, GTT also works closely with MECI, the French metering equipment supplier, to cover this function should the customer require it. Under this collaboration MECI is able to provide a skid-mounted custody transfer unit for measuring the volumes of LNG transferred via the Reach4 mast. “WesPac and CME have specified such an MECI skid for their barge.” To be named Clean Jacksonville, the WesPac/ CME vessel is set to go into operation in the first quarter of 2017 when the smallscale JAX LNG liquefaction plant is commissioned. The barge, which features a GTT Mark III Flex membrane tank containment system and reliquefaction facilities to handle boil-off gas, will then be used in the Florida port to shuttle LNG bunker fuel the short distance from the plant to the TOTE containership berths. LNG
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XII | OFFSHORE LNG
FLEXIBILITY IS CRITICAL FOR Javid H Talib and Shawn Hoffart of Black & Veatch explain how PRICO SMR technology enables floating LNG operations to cope with anticipated and unexpected changes
F
loating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project solutions are located at the offshore reservoir to monetise stranded offshore hydrocarbon reserves. Natural gas is drawn from a single well or multiple wells and brought to the topsides of the FLNG vessel through subsea completion systems, manifolds, risers or turret systems. On board the FLNG, the raw feed gas, which might also carry condensate, water and other hydrate formation
inhibitors, is first sent through an inlet facility for separating these elements. The gas is then sent to a gas pretreatment and dehydration unit to make it liquefiable before it enters the cryogenic portions of the facility. FLNG solutions are also being considered for exporting nearshore gas reserves or gas from an existing pipeline network by locating the LNG production facility near the shore. The natural gas, in this case, is typically subject to pipeline quality specifications with
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
prescribed limits on variation. Most of the condensate or heavy hydrocarbons are generally removed upstream and sold as natural gas liquid (NGL) products prior to putting the gas in the distribution network. Because of this, the pipeline gas would not require an elaborate gas inlet facility but still needs to be treated to remove impurities and moisture prior to sending it to liquefaction. Data on the anticipated feed gas is key for setting the design parameters for
a successful FLNG project. However, there is no guarantee that feed gas quality during operation will be the same as that considered in the design of the facility. There may be some certainty in the feed gas drawn from a pipeline network on shore, but for natural gas coming directly from the aggregation of multiple producing wells, the quality of the feed gas is likely to vary over time, changing pressure, temperature and composition. FLNG developers must consider several eventualities in their design basis. Developers must select technology and equipment with enough flexibility to operate safely at or near the required performance level without interruptions and shutdowns due to changes in the feed gas conditions over time. In addition to flexibility to adopt varying gas quality, other parameters affect the efficiency of the liquefaction process on an FLNG, such as the temperature of seawater and of ambient air, and the pressure of the feed gas. Typically the heat of refrigeration is rejected to the ocean, and thermodynamic efficiencies are reduced when the heat sink is at a warmer temperature. The same can be said of the air temperature for air-cooled facilities. The online version of this article shows a generalised graph of refrigeration power required versus ambient or water temperature (see
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OFFSHORE LNG | XIII
FLOATING LNG OPERATIONS tinyurl.com/jghmfwk, Figure 1). In this case, the power required at 95°F (35ºC) is the reference point and the power at other temperatures can be ratioed based on this curve. FLNG facilities are typically powered by gas turbines, whose output depends on the combustion air temperature, with warmer conditions resulting in less throughput. This relationship varies by turbine model, but is readily available from the manufacturers. Liquefaction of natural gas is more efficient at a higher feed-gas pressure, since the overall thermal efficiency increases when the phase change from gas to liquid occurs at a corresponding warmer temperature. Figure 2 online shows a generalised relationship of power versus gas pressure for liquefaction. The power to liquefy gas at 600 pounds per square inch absolute (PSIA), or 4,100kPa, is assigned a value of 1 and the power at other pressures can be determined by ratioing. An FLNG must be able to operate efficiently over the entire temperature range for its assigned location and to handle anticipated variations in pressure as gas fields mature from seasonal variations in pipeline gas demand or for other reasons. Developers must consider the annual production rate from a facility in their offtake planning and the possible complications. For example, a liquefaction facility in the southern hemisphere may have lower production in summer, a season that coincides winter in the northern hemisphere and the peak demand of its customers there.
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Flexibility solutions
OPPOSITE PAGE: Black & Veatch believes the PRICO single-mixed refrigerant process is ideal for FLNG Javid H Talib (below) is vice-president, and Shawn Hoffart vice-president LNG technology, oil and gas, at Black & Veatch
For a successful FLNG application, the liquefaction technology should be proven, reliable, lightweight, spaceefficient and simple to operate and have the flexibility to operate under varying feed gas and other conditions. Technology like the PRICO single-mixed refrigerant (SMR) process (see Figure 3 online) is ideal for FLNG applications. The refrigerant composition is easily tuned during operation to match the cooling curve for the gas being liquefied. This is accomplished in the distributed control system by varying the residence time of various refrigerant streams in the loop. Additionally, the integrated heavies recovery system is designed conservatively for the anticipated feed gas. Experience shows that this portion of the plant will experience the greatest variability in flows, and appropriate design margins are incorporated in key equipment items such as the tower internals and heat exchangers used to process the NGL and condensate streams. The PRICO design uses a simple closed-loop refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant is compressed, partially condensed, cooled, expanded and then heated as it supplies refrigeration and flows back to the compressor. The refrigerant is a mixture of nitrogen, methane, ethylene, propane and isopentane. The design basis of the FLNG should be comprehensive and include possible conditions during normal operation and endof-the-run conditions for a depleted feed gas source. The basic flexibility in a liquefaction process is illustrated in Figure 4. The SMR process has been used successfully in many
applications with varying feed gas compositions and pressures. In 2005, Praxair and Black & Veatch commissioned the first LNG production facility in Brazil. Feed to the Praxair facility is supplied from various resources and there is a wide composition range and a 4501,000 lbs per square inch gauge (psig) pressure range, or 3,2007,000 kPa, depending on the feed source. The process was designed to process any of the feed streams without plant shutdowns, changes to the refrigerant charge in the system, or severe intervention. Turndown flexibility may be a desired attribute for various reasons, such as a phased development of gas production or seasonal variability in supply or offtake agreements. Multiple train arrangements allow discrete production increments to be turned on and off. Experience shows that PRICO is very flexible to turndown with efficient operation throughout the entire speed range of a gas turbine. Further turndown can be achieved by opening the compressor antisurge valves, although this recycle will reduce overall process efficiency.
Conclusion
Operational flexibility is critical for a successful FLNG project. Flexibility challenges can be resolved with proper selection of the liquefaction technology and appropriate design of key systems within the facility. PRICO SMR technology has the intrinsic ability to adjust operations on the fly, to cope with anticipated and unexpected changes and to provide a robust process solution for FLNG. LNG
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
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SHIP PROFILE | XV
SHIP PROFILE, HULL 1718 Ship type: Moss-type LNG carrier Shipbuilder: Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Sakaide Shipyard Shipowner/operator: Owned by K Line and chartered by IT Marine Transport (ITMT), a joint venture between subsidiaries of INPEX and Total Flag: Panama Year built: 2016 Hull 1718: a story of challenge and pursuit
HULL 1718 STRETCHES NEW LIMITS IN LNG CARRIER DESIGN
J
apanese E&P company INPEX describes the commissioning of Hull 1718, the ship booked to deliver Ichthys LNG to CPC Corp, Taiwan as “a story of challenge and pursuit”. Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) is well under way on Ichthys, which will produce LNG, LPG and condensate over 40 years, from natural gas lifted from the Ichthys gas-condensate field off Western Australia and piped to Darwin. In 2012, the project having secured sales and purchase agreements for 8.4 million tonnes of LNG a year (mta), INPEX went ahead with plans to build and operate its own vessels and handle its own cargo, to strengthen its global gas-supply chain to ensure a stable supply to its customers. It subsequently formed a partnership with Japan-based shipbuilder Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), known for its expertise in new technologies. INPEX worked with KHI, Ichthys LNG project partner Total and Japanese shipping company K Line to build its first ship. It drew up guiding principles for the construction project that set out its expectations for quality control, optimal fuel efficiency and durability. Hull 1718 will initially transport 1.75mta of LNG to CPC for 15 years, starting in 2017. Owned by K Line, it will be chartered by IT Marine Transport, a joint venture set up between INPEX and Total subsidiaries. From the outset, the partners designed Hull 1718 to be innovative. The 182,000m3 LNG carrier has the world’s largest Moss-type
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system cargo-tank capacity, its design based on the 177,000m3 pacificmax LNG carrier that was previously the largest Moss-type LNGC available at KHI. “The approximate 5,000m3 increase in cargo-tank capacity was achieved by equipping the vessel with two stretched spherical Mosstype tanks and two spherical Moss-type tanks,” KHI says. “The stretched spherical tanks feature a cylindrical section that is approximately 1.6m in length, added to the conventional spherical tank to increase cargotank capacity.” Hull 1718 will be the first Moss-type LNG carrier equipped with a dual-fuel diesel electric (DFDE) propulsion system, supplied by ABB, that offers improved fuel efficiency across a range of sailing speeds. KHI and MAN Diesel & Turbo supplied the main dual-fuel generator four-stroke diesel engines. KHI installs its proprietary thermalinsulation system, the Kawasaki Panel System, on all the LNG carriers it builds. It upgraded the system for Hull 1718, to cut levels of boiloff gas (BOG) to a record 0.08 per cent per day to minimise BOG and improve efficiency and operating performance. “The design and construction of LNG carriers is evolving,” KHI concludes, “Vessels are equipped with the latest technology of their time and built according to the specifications of particular projects, owners and plant/terminal facilities – and these reflect the constantly diversifying needs of regional and global LNG trading.” LNG
Class society: Bureau Veritas Containment system: Two Moss Type independent spherical tanks and two Moss Type independent stretched spherical tanks Number of cargo grades: 1 Intended sphere of operations Darwin, Australia to Taiwan MAIN PARTICULARS LOA x B x d (m): Under 300m × 52m × 12m Max tank pressure IMO (barg/kPa) 25kPaG Min cargo temperature: -163°C Max cargo density (kg/m3): 500 Propulsion system power output (kW/ rpm): 26,640/68 Service speed, knots: 19.5 MAIN SUPPLIERS Main generator diesel engine: Kawasaki Heavy Industries/MAN Diesel & Turbo SE Cargo pumps: Shinko Ind Cargo heater/vaporiser: Cryostar Cargo compressor: Cryostar Cargo level gauges: Rosemount Tank Radar Custody transfer system: Rosemount Tank Radar Nitrogen generator: Air Product Integrated automatic system: Yokogawa Electric Propeller Nakashima Propeller
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
XVI | VIEWPOINT
Vessel: Creole Spirit
Capacity: 173,000m3
Containment: no 96 tank Propulsion: MAN B&W 5G70ME-C9.2-GI
Built: Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, 2015 Charterer: Cheniere Energy for Sabine Pass, Louisiana
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE Jacek Polak is commissioning captain of Teekay LNGowned Creole Spirit, the world’s first ME-GI engine LNG newbuilding. For a decade he has worked across a diverse LNG fleet, having started shipping liquefied gas almost 20 years ago and joining Teekay in 2000. Capt Polak spoke to LNG World Shipping as he prepared for Creole Spirit’s maiden voyage
What have been the most significant advances in ship technology over your career? I have witnessed most of the new technologies introduced into LNG transport in recent years, from boil-off gas (BOG) burned on steam-turbine vessels, through reliquefaction plants on Q-flex ships and diesel-electric [DFDE/TFDE] ships. ME-GI technology is the latest. What were your immediate impressions on taking the helm of Creole Spirit? Creole Spirit is very advanced, with the latest IT, and very fast, reliable and manoeuvrable. Having enjoyed the sea trials I can’t wait to get her to work. LNG cargo behaves in similar ways on all LNG carriers. What differs from ship to ship is the gas management: how to handle BOG. Creole Spirit uses BOG for propulsion, compressing it to 300
bar [30,000 kPa] and injecting it into the main engines. ME-GI vessels are significantly more fuel-efficient and have lower emission levels than other engines used in LNG shipping. Operating a ME-GI class LNG ship should bring owners and charterers a significant saving in operational costs. In what ways is the vessel unfamiliar, different, better? Senior officers have been assigned to this vessel since the first stage of its construction. We know all the equipment on board and why it was installed. Our engineers have received the best training, in Switzerland at Burckhardt Compression, and at the MAN course/simulator in Copenhagen. All officers have completed Kongsberg’s Integrated Automation System (IAS) course and all deck officers have passed special
LNG Shipping Innovation | March/April 2016
training for Kongsberg’s K-Bridge equipment. Creole Spirit completed sea and gas trials with more than 200 technicians on board to prove that all the systems work well. Small technical issues are normal on any newly delivered vessel and are always sorted out in minutes. What are your predictions for future LNGC design? Creole Spirit is the first LNGC of its kind – but not the last. Teekay has eight more ME-GI vessels in various stages of build. I see ME-GI technology as core for the shipping industry, not only for LNG carriers, as many more ships all over the world will use LNG as fuel for propulsion. The technology is here today, and I am proud that we at Teekay are the first to prove it works.
TECHNICAL SPEC
As the global LNG industry moves towards shorter and more flexible contracts, ship designs are evolving to suit that shift. Creole Spirit features the most advanced technology in a simplified form and has been built to be as efficient and flexible as possible. ME-GI engines claim to cut fuel costs by 20 per cent compared with DFDE LNG
vessels and 30 per cent compared with traditional steam propulsion. A structurally strengthened and sealed LNG carrier (SLNG), Creole Spirit is designed to avoid a sharp increase in tank pressures, and is insulated and built to withstand higher pressure and to reduce BOG. Structurally strengthened and sealed, Creole Spirit is designed so that its tanks withstand higher internal pressure, offering advantages during STS operations and idle periods at anchor where the amount of gas burned in a gas-combustion unit (GCU) can be reduced. It features an innovative solution for surplus gas produced at slower sailing speeds, based on JouleThomson valves that have been used on land for years but never previously in marine technology. The valves drop the pressure on the extra gas from 300 bar to 3 bar [3,000 kPa to 300 kPa], reducing the temperature of the gas and returning it to a liquid state that enables Creole Spirit to recapture up to 70 per cent of the excess gas. The ship is also the first large-scale vessel fitted with Wärtsilä’s combined inert gas generator (IGG) and gascombustion unit (GCU). LNG
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