Asia/Pacific News
ClassNK Gives Approval to First H2/CO2 FPSO
Japanese classification society ClassNK has granted approval to what it says is the world's first floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) for hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
The FPSO was granted an Approval in Principle (AIP), and was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Chiyoda Corporation.
"Due to its overwhelming environmentally-friendliness and excellent availability, there is growing interest in the use of hydrogen as a fuel, and research is ongoing around the world," said ClassNK.
The society said that the facility would use steam reforming and shift conversion to extract H2 and CO2 from the gas byproduct produced during oil well production.
The hydrogen could then be converted into a stable liquid form called methylcyclohexane (MCH), which is able to be transported in standard chemical tankers.
It would then be converted back to hydrogen upon delivery.
ClassNK said that the hydrogen would be used in enhanced oil recovery, helping to extract residual oil from subsea reservoirs through gas injections.
The use of hydrogen as a fuel has been brought up in recent years, though attempts to test it have been mixed.
A U.K. hydrogen-powered ferry that was tested in 2013 generated considerable interest, though it has since moored without activity, prompting some British politicians to call it a "wasteful vanity project" earlier this year.
