Siem Offshore PSV of Design VS4411
Woodside Energy Limited (Woodside), an Australian experienced liquefied natural gas (LNG) operator and the country’s largest independent oil and gas company, has signed a five-year charter contract with Norwegian company Siem Offshore Australia Pty Ltd that will deliver Australia its first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) -powered marine support vessel in 2017.
Woodside Chief Operations Officer Mike Utsler said the announcement positioned the company as an early adopter of LNG as a marine fuel in the region. “We’re thrilled to be the first company to bring one of these vessels to the southern hemisphere. Australia is on track to become the world’s largest producer of LNG, so it makes perfect sense to build dual-fuel capabilities for our marine fleets here.
“Our LNG tankers use their cargo to power their engines, making them cleaner vessels that use less diesel. It’s natural that we progress this capability through to our support vessels,” he said.
Woodside’s new vessel, a Dual-Fuel (LNG/MDO) PSV of Design VS4411, will be greener — reducing vessel greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions and the reliance on imported diesel — while providing safe, reliable support to Woodside’s assets in the Exmouth and Pilbara regions. The vessel will operate as part of the Woodside Integrated Fleet working offshore Dampier, Western Australia.
Woodside will continue to seek to expand the application of LNG-fueling in transportation in WA. Dual-fuel has an exciting future as it can be used to power a wide range of vessels.
In a separate press release, Siem Offshore states the duration of the charter is extendable with options of 2 x 1 year and is expected to commence in early 2017. This contract represents a significant milestone for both parties in terms of the commitment to Australia and the Asia Pacific region for SIEM OFFSHORE, and a significant step towards sustainable transportation on behalf of Woodside given the environmental benefits of LNG as the primary fuel source.
(Sources: Woodside; Siem Offshore)
