With rising demand for LNG imports, there has been a ramp up in need for fast-track floating import hubs, which bring their own challenges and benefits, said experts during Riviera Maritime Media’s How to fast-track FSRUs safely and efficiently webinar
This event was held 14 February 2023, sponsored by Continental and Trelleborg Marine and Infrastructure, during Riviera’s LNG Shipping & Terminals Webinar Week.
On the panel were Zukunft Gas chief executive Timm Kehler, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) voyage manager Mihails Solovjovs, ContiTech technical manager for high-pressure flexibles David Lee and Trelleborg Marine and Infrastructure technical director Andrew Stafford.
Europe’s quick pivot to alternative natural gas supplies is underpinning billions of dollars in investments in floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) to fast-track LNG imports. Mobile LNG import projects are being delivered in record time as part of Germany’s national plan to replace 50-60% of Russian gas through LNG in 2023.
FSRUs are critical to supporting energy security said Mr Kehler, adding six of these will be delivering gas to German industry and consumers by Q1 2024.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the German government implemented laws to redirect gas for energy and chemicals industries.
Construction of new LNG import terminals started Q3 2022. FSRUs will be stationed in Wilhelmshaven, Stade, Brunsbuttel, Hamburg, Rostock and Lubmin, of which three are already in operation. Construction of a fourth has started and a fifth is due online in 2023, with all six scheduled to be running by next winter, said Mr Kehler.
Long-term targets are to build onshore permanent import terminals in 2026/27 and to eventually turn these into green energy hubs.
“In line with Germany’s climate targets, the permits for the LNG plants are limited to 31 December 2043 at the latest,” said Mr Kehler. “The plants can only be operated beyond this point if they are used for climate-neutral hydrogen and its derivatives.”
These will import ammonia, methanol and other hydrogen-based fuels and export CO2 for carbon capture projects.MOL’s Mr Solovjovs presented the different types of FSRUs, moorings and loading and offloading solutions available to project developers such as standalone FSRUs for offshore LNG import terminals with steel jackets, single point moorings or buoys for LNG offloading from carriers.
The benefits of offshore terminals are the lower capital expenditure and environmental footprint compared with onshore.
“They are movable on demand and come with trained crew and established operational staff,” said Mr Solovjovs.
But offshore terminals are more affected by weather, have limited storage and less regasification capacity than onshore sites. Offshore FSRU mooring includes a spread arrangement, a yoke tower for external connections or an internal turret and subsea network.
Mr Solovjovs gave an example of a recent project in east Asia, with the first LNG import terminal in Hong Kong. This is east of Soke Island using MOL’s FSRU Challenger next to a cross jetty. MOL will also undertake jetty operations, maintenance and port services.
Connectivity technologies
Two experts on the panel presented technology available to facilitate fast-track projects and ensure these new LNG import terminals operate safely and efficiently.
Trelleborg’s Mr Stafford explained why electronic communications links, with emergency shutdown (ESD) between ship and shore are important for fast-track FSRU projects. He said it is important to define the primary and secondary functions of these units at the point when the loading and unloading processes are decided.
“Pre-order ship-to-shore link systems and ensure suitable communications,” he said. Typical options are digital fibre or 37-W electric lines.
“Look at the functionality needed for data connectivity,” Mr Stafford said. “Digital fibre links when ethernet is needed enables communications of processed data, CCTV and internet interfaces for large-scale FSRUs.
On Riviera’s How to fast-track FSRUs safely and efficiently webinar panel were (left to right) Zukunft Gas chief executive Timm Kehler, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) voyage manager Mihails Solovjovs, Trelleborg Marine and Infrastructure technical director Andrew Stafford and ContiTech technical manager for high-pressure flexibles David Lee.
Digital fibre is expandable to 155 Mbps and higher and can handle 100M ethernet for any process data, plus it has additional ESD channels, additional telephony and additional non-ethernet process I/O options.
Electric lines have limited expansion based on contact quantity, one set of additional ESD, integration of ethernet extenders, while splitting port and starboard sides allows signal duplication.
“Fast-track projects have to be based around existing infrastructure, existing ships and existing land-based tie-in,” said Mr Stafford. “The FSRU vessel is the easy part. They are pre-equipped with base equipment and need very little modification.”
The shoreside terminal will need full development due to limited existing infrastructure and shared facilities and time limitations for infrastructure installation. There may be legacy gas-handling systems, third-party integration challenges, complex arrangements for connecting a multi-transfer at a single berth and FSRU and LPG operations could be happening simultaneously.
ContiTech’s Mr Lee talked about high-pressure flexible hose assemblies for FSRU projects. He said the APL 17K standard was for a bonded hose construction with bore sizes between 2-16 in diameter and lengths up to 60 m. They have working pressures of 10 bar to 517 bar and can operate in temperatures of -30˚C to +90˚C.
“It came from the API 17B specification and was reaffirmed March 2021,” said Mr Lee.
API 17B was originally issued in June 1988 to provide a guideline for the design, analysis, manufacture, test, installation and operation of flexible pipes for onshore, subsea and marine applications. Its applications include topsides and subsea jumpers, mooring FSRUs to jetties and shallow water risers.
Testing and analysis includes finite element analysis, burst testing and hydrodynamic analysis “to mitigate any issues in the hose body seen in operations,” said Mr Lee.
Webinar poll results
Attendees were asked to vote on a series of poll questions during the webinar. Here is a summary of the results.
European fast-track FSRUs will eventually be replaced by permanent land-based LNG import solutions
Never: 20%
1-3 years: 21%
4-7 years: 45%
8+ years: 14%
Fast-track FSRU terminal implementations can lead to unsafe practices
Agree: 42%
Disagree: 58%
Standardisation of interfaces is safer than project-specific
Agree: 72%
Disagree: 28%
Will the recent FSRU and LNG boom in Europe stimulate nations in other regions to reconsider their needs for new gas import facilities?
Yes, it will drive the diversification of their energy supply: 72%
It will not change anything: 4%
Sky-rocketing prices will be a barrier to new projects in regions with developing economies: 24%
What is the key driver in specifying the chosen FSRU transfer solutions?
Emergency release system: 2%
Capex and installation time: 53%
Safety: 30%
Flow rate and volume: 15%
What would be the main driver for using API 17K?
Technical: 52%
Field support: 10%
Lead times: 22%
Commercial: 16%
Source: Riviera Maritime Media
