Petrofac goes to MAN for derrick-lay vessel equipment

MAN Diesel & Turbo has won the contract to provide a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system for each of 6 × MAN 16V32/44CR engines. The engines will power the ‘Petrofac JDS 6000’ deepwater derrick-lay vessel ordered in January 2014 by Petrofac, the international oil and gas services provider.

At the time, Yves Inbona, Managing Director of Petrofac’s Offshore Capital Projects business, said: “We are delighted to be working with industry leaders on the design and build of the key components of the vessel.”

The SCR systems and engines will be constructed at MAN Diesel & Turbo’s Augsburg, Germany facility, while the vessel will be constructed by the ZPMC yard in China using a proprietary Petrofac design. MAN Diesel & Turbo and Petrofac have also entered a 12-year service contract for the management, maintenance and monitoring of the 6 engines. Vessel delivery is scheduled for 2016 with the vessel expected to be available for offshore construction and installation activities from early 2017.

MAN Diesel & Turbo reports that its advanced technology and after-sales experience, as well as the lower running costs for the engines and their higher power per cylinder, were important factors in winning the contract.

The deepwater vessel will provide Petrofac with access to high-end, turnkey opportunities in the high-growth deepwater and SURF (Subsea Umbilicals, Risers and Flowlines) markets, while also expanding access to shallow-water EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation) projects.

The SCR technique
Selective Catalytic Reduction injects urea into exhaust gases and passes them through a catalytic converter at temperatures of 300 to 400° Celsius. The subsequent, chemical reaction reduces undesired nitrogen oxides (NOx) by over 80%. The SCR system in its entirety consists of a catalytic converter with several control units and a surveillance-and-control unit. In September 2014, the DNV-GL classification society awarded MAN Diesel & Turbo a Tier III-compatibility certificate for its MAN 8L21/31 four-stroke engine aboard a DFDS Seaways ship with a retrofitted SCR system; the ‘Petunia Seaways’ is a cargo ship that sails a regular North Sea route. While the engine alone meets IMO Tier II emission criteria, the SCR system for NOx reduction raises the whole system to the standard demanded by IMO Tier III rules.

Proven technology
According to the company’s press release, MAN Diesel & Turbo is the first company to successfully make four-stroke marine engines IMO Tier III-compliant, based on a fully modular SCR-kit that covers the entire MAN Diesel & Turbo four-stroke engine portfolio.

“For the last 8,800 hours, this particular engine aboard the Petunia Seaways has consistently met Tier III NOx limits under real-life operating conditions and in full accordance with the rules,” said Dr. Daniel Struckmeier, Senior Project Manager Emission 2016, MAN Diesel & Turbo when DNV-GL presented the Tier III certificate in September.

Generally, MAN Diesel & Turbo reports that results from the test bed and open sea have been impressive and show that SCR technology is reliable and ready for commercial production and operation. Accordingly, it has already made the basic version of the SCR system available for every four-stroke engine in its extensive portfolio.