Bluewater Begins Commercial Endeavours with NEPTUNE
Posted on March 6, 2008 – 12:23 pm | by oilandgaspress.com
GASTECH 2008
March 10th - 13th
Bangkok, Thailand
Hall 105, stand W1
HOOFDDORP, the Netherlands–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Bluewater Energy Services B.V., a member of the Bluewater group of companies, has signed an agreement with BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, which has granted Bluewater the exclusive rights to commercialise and market the patented composite LNG transfer hose, launched as the NEPTUNE cryogenic hose.
The NEPTUNE cryogenic hose is the result of an extensive 10-year research and development programme funded by BHP Billiton and executed in collaboration with the British companies BPP-TECH and Dantec. This programme has been recognised for its important contribution towards future developments in the LNG market.
“We very much appreciate the trust that BHP Billiton has put in Bluewater to commercialise the NEPTUNE cryogenic hose,” commented Bluewater’s President, Hugo Heerema, “The LNG market is facing challenges not unlike those that we faced at the beginning of offshore oil and gas production. I am convinced that we can contribute positively to the development of LNG projects in the challenging marine environment that we have called home for decades already.”
LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is considered to be the ideal means to transport natural gas found in remote areas, where the traditional pipeline infrastructure cannot be applied. The solution to harvest the so-called stranded gas is considered vital to satisfy the world’s ever-growing need for energy.
Bluewater took on the challenge to develop LNG transfer systems from prototype to commercial application with the same entrepreneurial spirit that saw them develop Floating Production Storage and Offloading units (FPSOs) in the early days of the offshore oil production, some 30 years ago. The NEPTUNE cryogenic hose is a large bore composite hose, suitable for LNG transfer in marine environments. It genuinely enables the development of offshore LNG transfer systems that are comparable to FPSO transfer systems, and which will be designed according to specific project requirements in partnerships with clients.
The NEPTUNE cryogenic hose is Lloyd’s type-approved for offshore marine application and is presently available in 8 inch and 16 inch diameters, with a hose length of 25m. Designed for offshore LNG transfer, the NEPTUNE cryogenic hose enables FPSO to carrier, side-by-side or stern-to-bow configurations, using tandem transfer techniques commonly used in oil off loading. The unique composition of the hose includes re-designed end fittings that overcome the limitations of existing composite hose designs and a number of design modifications that have improved axial strength (elongation behaviour is similar to steel) and resulted in excellent flexibility, both critical requirements for marine environment dynamic operations.
Bluewater will showcase both the 8 and the 16 inch NEPTUNE hoses at the GASTECH 2008 exhibition, held between the 10th and 13th of March in Bangkok, Thailand. The Bluewater stand is in Hall 105, stand W1.
The name of the hose is inspired by the planet Neptune, also known as the “blue giant”. Temperatures on Neptune are even lower than -193°C and its gas atmosphere is characterised by the presence of methane, which lends the planet its blue colour and is the principal component of natural gas.
Note to editors:
The Bluewater group of companies has built a technological lead specializing in lease and operation of tanker-based Production and Storage (FPSO/FSO) systems, and has become a leading provider of advanced Single Point Mooring (SPM) systems. Bluewater operates worldwide with offices in The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, Nigeria, Angola, South Africa, Malaysia, Russia and China.
BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, is stock listed in Australia, UK and the USA.
Contacts
Bluewater Energy Services B.V.
Elissaveta Katchouleva, +31 (23) 568 2800
info@neptune-cryogenic.com
www.neptune-cryogenic.com
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Tags: Bluewater Energy Services B.V., HOOFDDORP, The Netherlands
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