Finland-headed gas and energy company Gasum Oy has completed the bunkering of liquefied biomethane (LBG or bioLNG) for the first time to an offshore supply vessel in Norway. The fuel was delivered to Lundin Energy Norway’s Island Crusader vessel.
Lundin Energy Norway is a leading oil and gas company that aims to reach carbon neutrality across its operations by 2023. Battery hybridization of all supply and stand-by vessels on fixed contracts is part of its decarbonization strategy.
The truck-to-ship bunkering was performed to Lundin Energy Norway’s supply vessel Island Crusader at the Risavika harbour, close to Stavanger. The Island Crusader is a battery hybrid that runs on liquefied gas.
According to Gasum, LBG aka bioLNG is currently the cleanest maritime fuel available. It can reduce fuel emissions during its lifecycle by up to 90 percent.
BioLNG is also interchangeable and blendable with liquefied natural gas (LNG) that is becoming used more frequently as a fuel in maritime operations. Using LNG reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 21 percent compared to conventional fossil marine fuels.
We are very happy to support Lundin Energy Norway on its journey towards carbon-neutral operations. Biogas is a way to significantly reduce the maritime sector’s emissions and it is available already today which makes it a viable option for companies, said Gunnar Helmen, Gasum.
The Norwegian oil and gas business is facing stricter emission targets going forward. BioLNG as offshore vessel fuel is an efficient solution to meet these targets. One reason is that a large number of these vessels are already running on LNG.
The biogas is produced from organic waste and contributes to the circular economy. Gasum owns and operates a number of biogas plants throughout the Nordics, and is aiming for increased biogas production. It also has biogas upgrading to biomethane, and biomethane liquefication plants.
Gasum’s goal is to reach cumulative carbon emission reductions of million tonnes by increasing its biogas production. By 2025 the energy company intends to make 4 TWh of biogas available on the market from the company’s own production and that of its certified European partners.
Together with supporting politics we can increase the Norwegian biogas production significantly and contribute in making waste to energy pushing for the green shift, and we can do it today, Gunnar Helmen concluded.
