Bumi Armada’s carbon storage and injection vessel wins nod from ABS

The pioneering design for a floating carbon storage and injection unit (FCSIU), developed by Malaysian offshore energy major Bumi Armada, has won approval in principle (AiP) from the ABS classification society.

Bumi Armada’s FCSIU concept is a floating terminal capable of storing and injecting liquified carbon dioxide (LCO₂) into depleted oil and gas fields or aquifers.

The novel concept incorporates the ability to accept LCO₂ deliveries in an offshore setting, the flexibility to manage LCO₂ at low or medium pressure, the provision of LCO₂ buffer storage and the preparation of LCO₂ for sequestration – permanent storage of CO₂ deep beneath the seabed.

The FCSIU can receive LCO₂ from various sources, such as electricity generation, manufacturing and construction, offering a new solution for reducing CO₂ emissions from these industries.

The AIP is applicable to either a new build or a converted donor carrier, with smaller tanks to optimize the cargo space layout.

The FCSIU concept represents a groundbreaking solution to the complex challenge of storing and injecting LCO2 into depleted oil and gas fields or aquifers.

“Carbon capture and reinjection in depleted fields is a promising technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and it is likely that this process will become more widespread and play an increasingly important role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. ABS is a leader in the field and is committed to supporting the safe development and adoption of the technology,” said John McDonald, ABS President and Chief Operating Officer.

“We are excited to bring sustainable and scalable solutions to reduce carbon emissions, which is also in line with Bumi Armada’s recently launched decarbonization agenda to achieve net zero by 2050. This solution is a testament to our strong commitment towards providing the best decarbonization solutions globally,” Gary Christenson, Bumi Armada’s Chief Executive Officer, said.

Bumi Armada, a global provider of floating infrastructure systems and offshore energy engineering facilities, operates the only FPSO vessel in the world that uses an amine recovery system to extract H2S from the production gas. This is the same amine system that is used for many of the CO2 capture-recovery systems worldwide.

Shifting away from fossil fuels towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources is a monumental task, and CCS is expected to play a central role in that process.

CCS is expected to serve as a bridging technology before the renewable energy sector achieves the necessary scale and availability on a global scale as it allows for the continued use of fossil fuels while minimizing their environmental impact by capturing and storing the associated emissions.

 According to data from the Global CCS Institute, last year Europe and the US were on track to sequester just 1.5-2.0% of their current emissions by 2030, falling short of what is required by 2035 to meet the 1.5˚C pathway. 

“There will not be an orderly transition in Asia without natural gas and carbon capture. The big challenge, especially for heavy emitting North Asian heavy countries, is storage. We are going to invest significant funds in doing a detailed study on a framework for the Asia-Pacific region that looks at carbon capture, carbon storage, carbon transport, and carbon pricing. Using that, we can give certainty to financiers and engineers to implement the scheme,” Paul Everingham, Chief Executive Officer Asia Natural Gas & Energy Association (ANGEA), said while speaking at Gastech 2023 earlier today.