Japanese floater expert Modec and Toyo Engineering Corporation have obtained approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for a blue ammonia FPSO.

This FPSO is intended to produce and store blue ammonia using associated gas that has conventionally been reinjected into the reservoir without specific applications. The gas will be supplied by an oil and gas FPSO nearby.

It will also be equipped with a carbon capture and storage facility to capture not only CO2 generated in the process of converting associated gas to ammonia but also CO2 from gas turbine generators. This makes it possible to minimise CO2 emissions from the FPSO during ammonia production.

The hull, which stores and offtakes the produced ammonia, was developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi Shipbuilding.

The concept of producing blue ammonia offshore was created through the use of Modec’s expertise in the overall layout, hull design, and mooring technology used in conventional FPSO projects while Toyo contributed with its expertise in ammonia production process design and FPSO equipment design.

“This AiP is an initial step in the development of a floating solution for alternative energy production and will continue to strive to refine and mature this concept to address the key challenges for commercialisation identified through this development,” Modec said.