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Traditional Jetty vs Jettyless Transfer
Traditional jetty vs jettyless transfer
Development of the LNG value chain is highly complex, and project developers often face several obstacles in their pursuit of realising new, or even modified, LNG import and export infrastructures.
Apart from the political and regulatory landscape, the biggest challenges are cost and time associated with the building of LNG and natural gas infrastructure.
Here we will take a deep-dive into the most traditional methods of transferring LNG from ship to shore, comparing to the field-proven floating jettyless transfer system, the IQuay.
Jettyless market interest
- There is an increased interest in the transportation of liquefied energy world-wide, prompting stakeholders along the energy value chain to take a fresh look at how energy is transferred to and from a carrier vessel, offshore, nearshore and berthed in ports and harbours.
- ECONNECT Energy's jettyless solution for liquefied energy is universal, meaning that it is perfectly suited for offloading, loading and bunkering applications.
- ECONNECTf Energy carried out the world's first jettyless LNG transfer in 2017 for Naturgy Energy Group.
Conventional terminal infrastructure
- Terminals are required for both the loading and offloading of LNG and other liquefied energy sources into carriers. A terminal may consist of a jetty structure, loading platform, mooring and breasting dolphins and trestle for supporting the pipeline. Offloading takes place via the loading arms where the tanker is berthed.
- Locations without access to deepwater are fully dependent on seabed dredging for jetty construction, vessel mooring and turning access. This is a considerable cost to undertake, and for small-scale import projects, the investment required simply doesn’t make for sound project economics.
Loading and unloading
- Location of the jetty terminal is dependent upon not only the requirements for the carrier vessel manoeuvring and positioning with respect to water depths, currents and ship traffic, but also with prevailing winds which may influence the location from a safety viewpoint.
- The traditional shoreside loading and unloading to- and from- marine carriers may be prohibited due to proximity to populated areas, safety and/or environmental concerns. Also, the extension of an offshore jetty structure to support the transfer pipelines will, in all shallow water cases, require seabed dredging.
Jettyless Transfer
- The majority of the civil and onshore works associated with jetty or quay construction is eliminated with the jettyless IQuay solution.
- The IQuay is essentially a floating jetty. The platform attaches to the side of the vessel and transfers LNG or other fluids to storage tanks with floating cryogenic hoses floats and is compatible with most vessel sizes due to the unique vacuum attachment system.
- Capital spending and EPC project schedules can be dramatically reduced by avoiding large river, harbour or coastal engineering and construction works.
- The IQuay is DNV GL classified as an Offshore Loading Unit - obtaining permits from local authority and regulatory bodies is significantly simplified.
- The IQuay is a plug & play solution that requires no modifications to the carrier vessel and can connect any vessel or terminal.
Simplifying and alleviating bottlenecks
- The IQuay is a plug and play solution which allows for fast implementation into existing ports.
- Replacing a jetty and other fixed infrastructure with the IQuay can significantly reduce first gas and minimise project investment costs.
- The IQuay is a universal solution that requires no modifications to the carrier vessel and can connect any vessel or terminal.
- It is a scalable solution tailored for small-, medium- and large-scale operations, providing flowrate capacities from 100 to 12,000 cubic meters per hour.
How LNG reaches its consumers
- Exploration and Production of Natural gas, onshore or offshore.
- Produced gas is treated and liquefied through a super-cooled process, either onshore or on an FLNG vessel.
- If onshore, LNG is then exported via a jetty or floating IQuay to double-hulled LNGC carriers that have specially built tanks, to maintain cryogenic temperatures.
- LNG is then shipped to the specific destination in double-hulled ships to receiving terminals where it is offloaded via another jetty or floating IQuay, and then stored in heavily insulated storage tanks onshore.
- The LNG is re-gasified through a heating process and distributed to domestic consumers – from power plants and industry parks to domestic use for heating and cooking.
Floating Jettyless vs Fixed Infrastructure
Floating Jettyless vs Fixed Infrastructure
Here we will discuss the most traditional methods of transferring LNG and other fluids from ship to shore, comparing it to floating jettyless transfer systems.
Development of the LNG and renewable fuel value chain can be complex, and project developers often face several obstacles in their pursuit of realising new, or even modified, import and export terminals. Apart from the political and regulatory landscape, the biggest challenges are cost and time associated with the building of energy infrastructure.
Conventional LNG infrastructure
LNG storage terminals are required for both loading and offloading of LNG into carriers. A marine terminal may consist of infrastructure such as a loading platform, mooring and breasting dolphins and trestle for supporting the LNG pipeline. Offloading takes place via loading arms or hoses where a gas tanker is berthed.
Traditionally, locations which are not fortunate enough to have access to deep water are fully dependant on seabed dredging for jetty construction, vessel mooring and turning access. This is a considerable project risk to undertake, and for small-scale import projects, the investment required simply may not make for sound project economics. Thus, LNG import projects are often located where marine infrastructure already is present, in many cases meaning a non-optimal location of the terminal itself.
Location of the jetty terminal is dependent upon not only the requirements for the LNG tanker manoeuvring and positioning with respect to water depths, currents and ship traffic, but also with prevailing winds which may influence the location from a safety viewpoint.
The traditional shoreside marine jetties may be prohibited due to proximity to populated areas, safety and/or environmental concerns. Also, the extension of an offshore jetty structure to support the transfer pipelines will, in all shallow water cases, require seabed dredging.
Jettyless LNG transfer system
A jettyless transfer system is a technology that enables safe and efficient transfer of LNG between an LNG carrier and an offshore or onshore LNG terminal without a jetty. Most of the civil and onshore works associated with jetty or quay construction is eliminated with the jettyless solution since the whole system is floating and hence prefabricated at a yard.
This system comprises a floating semi-submersible platform accommodating all required and recommended safety systems. The platform attaches to the side of the vessel and transfers LNG or other fluids to storage tanks with floating hoses and is compatible with any vessel sizes due to the unique vacuum attachment system.
While not in use, the system is moored close to shore thus limiting the impact on usual navigation routes.
