OMV Petrom delivers LNG to fuel Romania’s first LNG operated ship

Energy company in South-Eastern Europe OMV Petrom has completed the first delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Damen Shipyards Mangalia, where it was used to fuel a ship equipped with LNG engines, the first of this type to be built in Romania.

OMV Petrom obtained a license to commercialize LNG in June of this year. As the transport sector has a key role in the mobility of goods and people, structured, effective and well-planned measures are required to reduce emissions.

Radu Căprău, a member of the OMV Petrom Executive Board, responsible for Downstream Oil, said: “OMV Petrom is and will continue to be part of the solution, with a mixed products portfolio that meets the mobility needs of our country. The first LNG delivery in Romania is another step we are taking in expanding the offer of low-emission transport products”.

Franck Neel, a member of the OMV Petrom Executive Board, responsible for Downstream Gas, explained: “In the context of the energy transition, the use of LNG in transportation and industry can lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions and pollutants. Romania has a significant potential for natural gas, and capitalizing on it, liquefaction included, opens new horizons for the Romanian economy and contributes to the climate agenda objectives“.

The complex process of OMV Petrom’s first LNG delivery in Romania also involved several partner companies and included two separate transports of two tankers each, which fueled the tank of the first LNG-operated ship in Romania.

“We are pleased to see the collaboration between two industry leaders in Romania and beyond, who made possible a premiere: it is the first time such a ship is built in Romania and this proves that the Romanian naval industry is able to implement very complex and innovative projects with high technological level,” proclaimed Florin Spătaru, member of the Board of Directors of Damen Shipyards Mangalia.

The volume of natural gas is reduced approximately 600 times through liquefaction and by cooling it at -162°C compared to the gaseous state. As a result, LNG can be safely stored with higher energy efficiency and transported over very long distances.

Transportation segments with decarbonisation difficulties, such as naval and heavy road freight transport, can use LNG as a transitional alternative for cleaner transport, leading to a reduction in emissions. Therefore, a 15 per cent decrease in CO2 emissions would be expected, along with a drop of 50 per cent in nitrogen oxide emissions and a lowering of heavy particles by 99 per cent.

OMV Petrom emphasises that LNG is compliant with the strict provisions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as it does not generate sulfur emissions.