Gasum and Equinor Collaborate on Bio-LNG Operations for OSV

 

Gasum, the Nordic energy company owned by the State of Finland, is collaborating with Equinor on a series of liquefied biomethane (bio-LNG) bunkering operations in the Port of Dusavik, in Stavanger, Norway. The latest bunker, which was carried out in mid-July, expands on the earlier tests in 2021 which made the OSV Island Crusader the first offshore supply vessel operating on the Norwegian shelf running on biofuel.

The first bio-LNG delivery was successfully carried out in mid-July. Gasum reports it will continue to supply the Island Crusader with two to three truckloads of bio-LNG approximately every other week. Each truckload contains about 22 tons of bio-LNG.

Built in 2012 by Vard, the Island Crusader (4,750 dwt) is a pioneer using an innovative LNG hybrid battery technology. The vessel is fueled by pure LNG but also features an 896 kWh battery pack, which further improves its environmental performance. Owned by Island Offshore, it is operating under charter to Equinor to support its offshore operations.

Engine manufacturer Bergen Engines initially conducted tests on land to certify the engines for a switch to biofuel. A pilot project in October 2021 then confirmed that biogas can be used on LNG engines without any modifications.

Gasum highlights that biogas can be used in all the same applications as natural gas, including as a road and maritime transport fuel and as energy for industry. The biogas is a fully renewable and environmentally friendly fuel with life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions that are, on average, 90 percent lower when compared with fossil fuel use. It is produced from waste feedstocks such as biowaste, sewage sludge, manure, and other industrial and agricultural side streams and the by-product of biogas production is also high in nutrient content that can be used in industry and agriculture.

The operation is a pioneering step said Gasum as it works to procure more renewable gas to satisfy the increasing demand for sustainable energy. Gasum’s goal is to offer 7 TWh of renewable gas to its customers yearly by 2027, including biomethane and e-methane. A large portion of this volume relies on establishing long-term partnerships with certified biogas producers throughout Europe. Achieving this goal would mean a combined carbon dioxide reduction of 1.8 million tons per year for Gasum’s customers.