Intermediate storage offshore Clause Samples

Intermediate storage offshore. An intermediate storage facility can initially be constructed as a new external device (floating or fixed to the seabed), retrofitted to an FPSO, platform or equivalent. Fluid transfer can take place above the sea surface (for example through tower systems or soft yoke systems [6]) or in floating flexible hoses (cryogenic hoses for cold CO2 or other non- cryogenic types). Currently, there are commercial flexible hoses available for cryogenic LPG/LNG [7] and this technology may also be possible for transport of cryogenic CO2. The most appropriate placement of an intermediate storage facility is depending on existing infrastructure, chosen modes/techniques in the transport chain, as well as on-site security regulations and is therefore not well defined on general basis. The intermediate facility can be of different varieties. It can be retrofitted at an existing FPSO, adapted to a buoy, FSO or equivalent. The optimal solution is assumed to be case dependent and will probably be determined by existing infrastructure and security regulations. At the same time, the choice of unloading method will affect the need for intermediate storage, i.e. direct injection does not include offshore storage prior to injection. The intermediate storage facility may be placed both above sea (floating or fixed facilities) or at the sea bottom (subsea storage). Transferring CO2 to a storage unit located below the sea surface will in general set requirements to the temperature before discharge. There are limited knowledge/literature regarding the feasibility and cost aspects of such subsea systems in CCS context. Motivators for development can be based on safety regulations and absence of available space above sea near the injection site. Utilizing the injection pipe as a giant heat exchanger where the pipe is long enough to heat the CO2 by the sea water to reduce the intermediate storage heating before injection is considered a relatively immature proposal, but it could be a viable alternative or variant of the subsea storage concept. If CO2 is unloaded/injected (in pipes that encounters sea water) at temperatures below –1.9°C, freezing/ice formation on the outer pipe wall is expected [5]. It has been suggested that transport close to the triple point is the preferable condition for ship transport of CO2 in CCS context, but at the same time, such cold conditions are challenging when it comes to offshore unloading and injection. Transport at higher temperatures is likely to benefi...