Equinor plots new CO2 carrier concept with compatriot ship design firm

Norwegian oil major Equinor has joined forces with compatriot ship design company Breeze Ship Design to develop a ship design concept for a CO2 carrier for direct offshore injection. 

As explained, the key design drivers will be safe loading, transport, and offshore injection of CO2 with as low emissions as possible. The vessel will be specialized for its trade with a cargo capacity of approximately 40.000 tonnes of CO2.

The trading area will be North Europe/Scandinavia with discharge locations in the North Sea Area. Propulsion will be based on ammonia dual fuel, where thrusters and propeller configuration will be optimized for harsh weather connection and disconnection to an offshore STL buoy, and for continuous high pressure CO2 injection to subsea well deformations, according to Breeze Ship Design.

“Equinor believes that the direct injection concept is an interesting way to implement ship-based transport and injection solutions for CO2. We need to make sure the technical risks are reduced to an acceptable level and that the business case is sound. That is why this project is important,” Elisabeth Birkeland, VP for Carbon capture and storage solutions in Equinor commented.

“The project fits well with Breeze Ship Design’s strategy to be a leading design company accelerating the energy transition to low carbon shipping. By combining our experience with offshore vessels and gas carriers we are confident we will be able to provide Equinor with novel solutions for their future investments in the CO2 value chain,” added Reinert Nordtveit, COO Breeze Ship Design.

Breeze Ship Design is currently involved in 10-15 zero/low emission ship design projects with dual fuel propulsion systems based on ammonia, hydrogen, methanol or other biofuels.

The company also holds the right to manage the former Wärtsilä Ship Design design-portfolio, including Wärtsilä Ship Design Norway AS/Vik-Sandvik AS and Skipskonsulent AS, Wärtsilä Ship Design Germany/Schiffko and Wärtsilä Ship Design Singapore/Conan Wu & Associate. 

In June this year, the Norwegian firm entered into an agreement with Nordic Green Ammonia Powered Ships (NoGAPS) project consortium to conduct feasibility studies and develop the concept design for the ammonia-fueled gas carrier MS NoGAPS.