Repsol YPF Succeed in Argentinean Dockside Ship-to-Ship LNG Regasification Process

Repsol-Stream, owned by Repsol and Gas Natural SDG SA, has together with YPF and U.S.-based Excelerate LLC successfully completed the world´s second commercial ship-to-ship transfer and regasification of LNG in the Argentinean port of Bahia Blanca.

The transfer was made on June 17 between the Excelsior and Excelerate ships, adhering to existing environmental and safety legislation.

The regasification vessel Excelsior, docked and connected to the gas network, received 131,433 cubic meters of LNG from the ship Excelerate, which it then regasified and transferred to the grid at a rate of 8 million cubic metres/day.

The operation was completed after a detailed analysis carried out together with the government of Argentina to find the most adequate port to make the transfer, taking into account the ships´ size, navigation and docking conditions, as well as the need for a second ship to dock alongside the first.

The accumulated experience of Stream in operating regasification vessels and terminals has been crucial for the process to succeed.

Excelerate provided its LNG StS transfer protocol and technology in linking both ships and transferring the load, as well as design and construction of the high pressure gas off-loading arm that is used to unload the LNG.

YPF, working for Enarsa, hired the regasification vessel and the tankers.

YPF also carried out at short notice the work needed at the docks to allow the ships to unload and the construction of a link to the national network.

The co-operation of the Argentinean government was invaluable during the analysis of the project and the completion of the environmental impact assessment and safety study carried out by Repsol.

Repsol has a significant international presence in the liquefied natural gas business thanks to the competitive advantage provided by its position in the Atlantic basin.

Excelerate Energy’s fleet of state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly, LNG Regasification Vessels (LNGRVs) compliment the company’s downstream investments in dockside GasPorts and deepwater port Gateways.

To further enhance the capabilities of the existing LNGRVs and their cargoes, Excelerate Energy has developed and implemented the first commercially viable program of LNG trans-shipment via ship-to-ship transfer.

This combination of expertise, innovation, and strategic physical assets give the company the equivalent of a flexible, global “pipeline” that can transport LNG from virtually any point to another, facilitating delivery to the highest value markets around the world.

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Source: Repsol, June 25, 2010;