Photo: Odfjell Invest.
Odfjell Invest AS has received a payment of 70 million NOK from the NOx Fund related to investments in NOx-reducing measures on the drilling rig Deepsea Nordkapp, which have resulted in a reduction of approximately 320 tons of NOx per year.
Deepsea Nordkapp is a semi-submersible drilling rig of the Moss Maritime CS 60E type. The rig was built at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea and completed in 2019. Today, the rig is located at the Alvheim field in the Norwegian Sea and is owned and operated by Odfjell Drilling on behalf of Aker BP.
The NOx Fund has granted NOK 70 million in support of NOx-reducing measures on Deepsea Nordkapp. The main objective of the project has been to ensure maximum NOx reduction through the use of exhaust gas cleaning with the help of SCR systems, combined with energy consumption reduction and preparation of the rig for future zero-emission solutions. The project has included installation of a hybrid power system that uses a battery pack in combination with a mechanical flywheel, as well as an associated upgraded power distribution system, a so-called Direct Current (DC) grid.
Superintendent Energy Management Per Rune Rydland in Odfjell Drilling explains that the measures reduce NOx, CO2 and other emissions based on different effects, where the main effect of the NOx reduction is achieved through the use of exhaust gas cleaning in the form of an SCR system.
- This results in a NOx emission reduction of approximately 70-90%. In addition to the use of exhaust gas cleaning, various energy-reducing measures have been implemented. For example, frequency converters have been installed for the seawater pumps in the rig's seawater cooling system and separate frequency converters have been installed for the rig's anchor winches. This reduces the energy required for cooling on the rig and reduces the energy required for positioning over the well on the field. In addition to the savings achieved by cleaning the exhaust gas, the energy-reducing measures have enabled a reduction in diesel consumption of approximately 10-15%. In total, this results in an annual reduction of 320 tons of NOx. In addition to the NOx effects, the measures also have a positive effect on the rig's CO2 emissions.
Illustration of the flywheel and battery system that has been installed on Deepsea Nordkapp, Deepsea Atlantic, Deepsea Stavanger, and Deepsea Aberdeen with support from the NOx Fund.
- In addition to the savings achieved by cleaning exhaust gases, the energy-saving measures have enabled a reduction in diesel consumption of around 10-15%. In total, this results in an annual reduction of 320 tonnes of NOx. In addition to the NOx effects, the measures also have a positive effect on CO2 emissions from the rig. Odfjell Drilling is committed to minimizing the environmental impact of our operations, with a focus on reducing emissions to air and sea. There is an increasing demand for energy-efficient services with lower emissions. The support from the NOx Fund for the implementation of emission-reducing projects has made it possible to develop completely new solutions and more competitive services. The NOx Fund, as well as DNV and our suppliers, have been fantastic partners in this development. As a company, we would not have been able to implement such powerful measures without investment support from the NOx Fund. These are important steps towards achieving our ambition to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050, concludes Rydland.