Americas News
Dual-Fuel FPSO Promises Cost Savings
A new dual-fuel floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, the first of its kind to use gas engines producing more than 100 megawatts of electricity, has passed all required full 100 percent load tests, according to Wärtsilä Corporation, which provided the engines.
The P-63 FPSO can run on treated well gas or treated crude, as well as marine diesel oil (MDO), which means almost no MDO will need to be shipped to the vessel, reducing operating costs.
The power systems also produce less carbon dioxide emissions than their conventional equivalents, reducing carbon emissions by as much as 93,000 tonnes per year.
Wärtsilä was contracted by the Brazilian industrial group QUIP to provide a turnkey package for the vessel, including three main power modules, each including two 18-cylinder Wärtsilä 50DF engines.
The vessel is scheduled to being operations in Brazil's offshore oil fields this year.
"This validation of the Wärtsilä technology represents a milestone event, and one that demonstrates Wärtsilä's capability to execute complex integration projects for the oil and gas industry with a solution that contributes notably to successful client operations," said Magnus Miemois, vice president of Solutions for Wärtsilä Ship Power Offshore.
"The Wärtsilä turnkey project model is an effective means to enhance project completion targets.
"We have enjoyed working closely with our client, QUIP, and look forward to the final tests when the FPSO is on location at Brazil's offshore Papa-Terra field."
Wärtsilä recently announced that gas transporter Anthony Veder would use its dual-fuel engines for two new tankers.
