LNG

ABB has been contracted by Bechtel to deploy an automation platform for Trains 4 and 5 of the Rio Grande LNG project in Brownsville, Texas, as the plant moves to its full 30 mtpa production capacity.

ABB has secured a contract from Hanwha Ocean to supply the electric power and propulsion system for Singapore’s first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) terminal. Once in service, the terminal will increase Singapore’s LNG import capacity by 50% and add flexibility to the nation’s gas grid.

March 15 (LNGJ) - Texas LNG, the liquefied natural gas export project to be constructed by the New York-based Glenfarne Group at the fully permitted site at the Port of Brownsville, has received sufficient “expressions of interest from leading project finance banks” to move to the execution phase of project financing. Glenfarne said it had also appointed Latham & Watkins as Borrower’s counsel and Milbank as Lenders’ counsel for the issuance.

   The firm noted that these lenders have been key supporters of Glenfarne, having led over $4 billion of financing to Glenfarne’s businesses over the last 10 years for various energy transition-focused assets. “Texas LNG’s financing consortium will be comprised of the world’s leading institutions that recognize the attributes of the project and Glenfarne’s excellent history of building energy transition infrastructure,” said Brendan Duval, Chief Executive and Founder of Glenfarne Energy Transition. The first LNG exports from Texas LNG are expected to be shipped in 2028.

Swiss-Swedish company ABB said it was chosen to provide the electric propulsion and power distribution package for Southeast Asia’s first liquefied natural gas hybrid tug ordered to operate in the Port of Singapore.

ABB said its equipment, including energy storage, control and automation technology will be at the heart of the first tug capable of switching between low-emission LNG engines and zero-emission battery power.

The tug, which will operate in Singapore harbour, has been ordered by Sembcorp Marine subsidiary Jurong Marine Services for delivery from the Singapore shipyard by the end of 2020.

LNG as a fuel virtually eliminates sulphur-oxide emissions, while the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is also incentivizing its use to support the International Maritime Organization’s aims to halve ship carbon-dioxide emissions in the years ahead.

ABB said the project represents the first delivery of ABB’s award-winning power and distribution system, the Onboard DC Grid, for a tug application.

Leveraging the system, the vessel will be able to deploy 904 kilowatt hours of battery power for zero-emission operations, as well as for peak shaving, improving utilization of electricity use on board.

“This is a breakthrough in the tug market for the ABB’s energy storage technologies and a strong validation of Onboard DC Grid™ as the ultimate solution for power management efficiency for hybrid propulsion,” said Juha Koskela, Managing Director of ABB Marine & Ports.

“Future-proofing for a different energy mix makes particular sense for tugs and other port service vessels, as the most likely candidates to face imminent environmental restriction, added Koskela.

“This is also a great example of a local team meeting a regional priority,” he stated.

ABB noted that gas-fueled engines face a particular challenge when it comes to handling the fast-changing load capabilities demanded by tugs.

“Leveraging the Onboard DC Grid system, the tug’s engines will be able to run at variable speeds for optimized LNG fuel economy at each load level,” said the company.

“Additionally, through integration with an energy storage source, the batteries will be able to provide power to the tug’s propulsion system almost instantaneously,” added ABB.

March 8 (LNGJ) - NextDecade Corp., the US developer of the Rio Grande LNG export project near the Brownsville Ship Channel in South Texas with 27 million tonnes per annum of planned output, has chosen Swiss-Swedish company ABB to provide automation and electrical systems. “NextDecade expects ABB's solutions to reduce the schedule, equipment footprint and cost of our Rio Grande LNG facility, while providing greater operational flexibility,” said Matt Schatzman, the NextDecade President and Chief Executive. The start-up of the first two processing Trains has been scheduled for around 2021-2022.

Sept 25 (LNGJ) - Swiss electric power system maker ABB said it was selected by LNG project contractors in Indonesia to supply prefabricated electric substations for the Tangguh LNG expansion project. The engineering, procurement and construction group comprises  Indonesia’s Tripatra along with Chiyoda Corp. of Japan, Italy’s Saipem and Indonesian firm Suluh Ardhi Engineering. The Tangguh expansion project will add a third processing Train and 3.8 million tonnes per annum of production, taking total plant output to 11.4 MTPA. “Integrated solutions in the form of prefabricated substation buildings allow projects to be delivered with reduced risk, lower cost and shorter schedules,” said Per Erik Holsten, Managing Director of the ABB Oil, Gas and Chemicals business.

Woodside Petroleum of Australia said it was planning to install a large battery on one of its offshore platforms serving the North West Shelf LNG plant in a move that will save costs as well as reduce carbon emissions and the company may eventually expand the programme to other LNG and natural gas production facilities.

March 28 (LNGJ) - Swiss-based ABB said it would supply the power and electric propulsion system to a new Floating Storage and Regasification Unit for BW Group, which will also be remotely connected to ABB operations centres. The equipment onboard will provide data to the shore-side centres allowing ABB and the vessel owner to take a proactive approach to maintenance throughout the lifetime of the vessel. “The modern power system must be both efficient and connected,” said Juha Koskela, Managing Director of the ABB marine and ports business. ABB said its hardware will optimize fuel efficiency onboard while monitoring the vessel for an informed approach to maintenance. The 174,000 cubic meter capacity FSRU has been ordered from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. The membrane-type vessel is expected to be delivered from the Korean shipyard in 2019.

Swiss power technology group ABB has won a five-year contract to deliver equipment and services for the Royal Dutch Shell Prelude Floating LNG hull to be deployed offshore northwest Australia.