Offshore LNG Regasification Vessel Emission Testing

Opportunity

Client facility is a shipping company that purchases, transports, and sells liquified natural gas (LNG) all over the world.  Their ships have the capability to “regasify” or vaporize LNG for integration with natural gas distribution networks, including at a deep water port facility located off the coast of Massachusetts. , Environmental consultants for the shipping company helped to site the offshore port location and to perform all environmental permitting and licensing tasks, including air quality impact modeling, biological studies, and community impact analyses, as required in advance of constructing and commissioning the offshore facility.  Client facility and its consultants needed help to design and execute a series of emissions compliance and relative accuracy test programs in order to ensure their site and ships were adhering to numerous Federal and local regulatory requirements.

Challenge

In order to ensure their site and program were meeting regulatory emissions standards, Montrose was hired to address the issues at hand. The initial challenge of this program was to mobilize an extensive collection of sensitive testing equipment to the site, which was located 18 miles offshore and on the deck of a 1000-ft vessel. This transfer had to be done quickly, efficiently, and as safely as possible, and included all backup equipment as the team had to stay aboard the ship until the program was complete. Electric transformers were needed to power all US-based equipment, because the power onboard the vessel was only 220 volts. Once testing began, certain measurements were not meeting the requirements and required extensive troubleshooting, including the NOx and ammonia readings from the vessel’s SCR control system.

Solution

Montrose developed a seamless, confident approach to executing this program. Once onboard the ship, the compliance test programs included measurements of NOx, CO, VOC, O2/CO2, ammonia, flow and moisture.  The relative accuracy test audits included measurements of NOx, CO, O2/CO2, flow and moisture.  Testing was primarily conducted on two regasification boilers.  Some additional testing was performed on an auxiliary boiler and a diesel generator. Once testing began, the Montrose team helped to diagnose multiple issues that arose, which led to numerous performance improvements, including replacing certain gas analyzers, and ultimately changing the procedures for storage and installation of SCR catalyst tiles. After certain adjustments were made and issues were addressed, we were able to report testing results that met all Federal and local compliance regulations. Montrose has since been contracted to conduct this program again in 2021.