Decarbonisation Technology - November 2021

A low carbon alternative to HFO A newbiofuel combines high-performance energy output with immediate, significant emission reduction at low cost

Jack Williams Quadrise Fuels

F rom commercial cruise liners to container ships, heavy fuel oil (HFO or bunker fuel) has been the primary choice of fuel in the maritime industry for decades. This low-cost, tar-like substance is widely available as leftovers from the oil refinery process but has significant environmental drawbacks as a fuel, whilst also being uneconomic for the refinery that supplies it (it sells at a discount to crude oil). HFO is considered by some to be a dirty and polluting fossil fuel. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is under increasing pressure to reduce the high levels of black carbon and NOx emitted by the sector as a result of burning HFO that contributes to global warming and smog. IMO have also set a GHG emission reduction target of at least 50% by 2050. With potential future marine fuels such as hydrogen and methanol not yet technically or commercially viable on a large scale, there is a growing demand for a more sustainable HFO alternative that utilises well- known technologies and existing supply lines. The solution Decarbonisation of the marine industry is an urgent issue; however, the lifespan of a commercial vessel can last up to 30 years. Therefore, an alternative fuel must be suitable for use in existing engines whilst immediately supporting the transition towards net zero. Conversion to liquefied natural gas (LNG) is an option, which can provide around 20% CO 2 savings on a well-to-wake basis over HFO. However, fuel storage temperature (-162°C) and operational modification requirements are a hinderance to its progress in the market. There is also an inherent risk of ‘methane slip’ during LNG use that can negate all of the GHG benefits, as methane is a very powerful GHG. Emulsion fuel blending, the process of producing a stable mixture of water and oil for use in HFO

Figure 1 Quadrise MSAR plant in Spain

applications, is increasingly being seen as an attractive option to bridge this gap. Quadrise’s leading emulsion fuel, MSAR, is cheaper than HFO and proven to increase engine efficiency as well as reducing energy consumption (it is low viscosity so does not need to be heated) and harmful NOx emissions compared with burning HFO. During MSAR production, heavy oil streams are taken directly from refinery rundown lines and mechanically milled into very fine droplets before being dispersed in a water-based solution. The team behind MSAR have over 60 million tons of emulsion fuel supply experience. Following successful power plant trials, commercial trials on MSAR were very effectively carried out in recent years with Maersk Line on several commercial container ships, supplied from a Spanish refinery. To supply the fuel, Quadrise worked closely with Cepsa, a Spanish multinational oil and gas company, to install a commercial 6000 bpd MSAR Manufacturing Unit (MMU) (see Figure 1) . The MMU was fully integrated into Cepsa’s existing refinery system and operated by Quadrise, utilising their visbreaker residue to produce MSAR