Offshore staff
CUXHAVEN, Germany – Wintershall Dea is assessing equipping supply vessels for the Mittelplate drilling and production island in the Wadden Sea offshore Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, with a hydrogen hybrid propulsion system.
Following a conversion, the vessels would be propelled by electric engines powered by hydrogen fuel cells. This could further reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide emissions.
The four supply ships in the Mittelplate fleet travel collectively around 12,500 nautical miles annually, transporting supplies to the Mittelplate drilling and production island, consuming in total around 275,000 liters of diesel.
Starting point for the planned retrofit is a recent feasibility study completed under the direction of EnTec Industrial Services, which forms the basis for an MoU on joint implementation of the project. EnTec operates Mittelplate’s land base in Cuxhaven.
Under the planned first step, the supply ship Coastal Liberty will be the first to be fitted first with the hybrid propulsion system. Hydrogen is transported onto the ship in liquid form in ‘tanktainers,’ then directed to a fuel cell with the generated electricity stored in batteries.
This electricity drives the electric engine which sets the ship propeller in motion via the shaft.
According to Wintershall Dea, the project would provide the basis for foundation of maritime hydrogen infrastructure in Cuxhaven.
Measures already in place will cut Mittelplate’s CO2 emissions to 0.4 kg/boe from next year onwards, the company added.
10/21/2020
