First LNG-Powered OSV Enters GoM Service

Harvey Energy — Marlon Reyes Granados, Business Development Advisor Downstream LNG, Shell, Chad Verret, Executive Vice President Alaska and LNG Operations, Harvey Gulf, Christian Buelow, General Manager Downstream LNG Americas, Shell, Christopher Hogan, Business Developm

Shell and Harvey Gulf International have put the first LNG powered offshore supply vessel (OSV) in the Gulf of Mexico into service.

The vessel will service Shell’s assets in the region including the new Olympus production platform.

Harvey Energy is the first of its kind in the region, although two more LNG-fuelled Harvey Gulf vessels are expected to follow in the next couple of years.

The Harvey Energy was built at GCSG in Gulfport in the U.S., and is based on the Vard Marine 1 311 design. It is 302 foot long and operates on three dual-fuel Wärtsilä engines, providing 7.5MW of power and fueled by Wärtsilä’s LNGPac system. The vessel will run on 99 percent LNG fuel and will be able to operate for around seven days before refueling.

It will load from Harvey Gulf’s new LNG bunkering facility at their terminal at Port Fourchon. Port Fourchon is Louisiana’s southernmost port, with more than 600 oil and gas drilling rigs and platforms located within a 40-mile radius. From there Harvey Energy will go to Shell’s platforms bringing equipment and drilling fluids.

The fueling facility will be a vital addition to the growing national LNG supply infrastructure, supporting critical operations of the oil and gas industry’s OSV fleet operating on clean burning LNG.

During bunkering, the cool-down process takes approximately 12 hours to achieve the desired tank temperature and pressure and uses 3,800 gallons of nitrogen. LNG bunkering then takes a few hours.

“Shell is delighted to be the customer of this innovative vessel,” said John Hollowell, Executive Vice President, Deep Water, Shell Upstream Americas. “It is a pleasure to partner with Harvey Gulf on this pioneering project. Shell’s investment underlines our confidence in LNG becoming a bigger part of the global fuel mix.”

Ferries and offshore support vessels are expected to be the ship types that will be the major end users of LNG bunker fuel over the next few years. Several ferries and OSVs operating in Europe have already switched from conventional heavy fuel oil to LNG bunker fuel. The sulfur emissions regulations in ECAs are driving the changes. Key market participants in the bunkering business globally include Gazpromneft Marine Bunker, Bomin Linde LNG GmbH & Co. KG, Gasnor, Skangass as well as Harvey Gulf International.