SBM Offshore, one of the world's largest suppliers of floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels for the offshore oil industry, is looking at ways to diversify its offering, with a more dominant role predicted for gas in the future.
The company, which has the ambition to have 25% of revenues from Gas & Renewables by 2030, has this week launched a video showcasing its LNG2Wire offshore facility concept.
According to the Dutch company, its LNG2Wire floating facility can produce and supply high-voltage power from LNG, seen as one of the cleanest fossil fuels.
The facility's ship-shape will enable it to be deployed anywhere in the world as needed. Per SBM Offshore, the LNG2Wire floater can be built by converting an existing LNG tanker or building a new LNG hull.
"In both cases, the LNG2Wire unit includes LNG storage, boil-off gas management, and regasification functions, a high-efficiency gas-fired power plant, and an electrical power export module. The power range is typically between 180 and 400MWe and we have developed solutions both with Gas Turbines in Combined cycle (CCGT) or with gas-fired Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) in order to cover a wide range of client needs. Our all-in-one floating LNG to Power solution has been designed with the aim to minimize the environmental footprint," SBM Offshore said in an email to Offshore Engineer.
LNG2Wire solution is designed to provide electrification to remote locations and is also aimed at large industrial consumers contemplating a switch to greener power.
Per SBM Offshore, demand for LNG-produced electricity is driving the market for near-shore LNG to power solutions, which have significant advantages over traditional onshore gas-fired plants including low-to-zero land acquisition costs, shorter plant delivery schedules, and flexibility in relocating to other sites.
The floating power plant would be able to be moored at a jetty or nearshore via a single-point mooring system.
Offshore Engineer asked SBM Offshore when we could see one of its LNG2Wire units deployed.
An SBM Offshore spokesperson said: "We launched the LNG2Wire video to highlight the fact we are offering this solution to the market; when you will be able to see one in action depends on clients’ interest/market demand."
Watch the video below for more details: