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Marine scientific and technical consultants
and surveyors
Providing comprehensive services in the
marine and energy world
Brookes Bell
Group
LSFO (0.10%)
Chris FisherMobile: 07717872095
Email: [email protected]
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Scope of Presentation
Conventional and Alternative refinery streams for
Marine fuel
Fuel Specifications
Availability and quality issues - gas oil
Availability Alternative LSFO
Quality and specification issues – alternative fuels
Storage, handling and consumption
Commercial issues – Price, Energy, Specifications
Conclusions
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Crude Oil – Atmospheric Distillation
Kerosene (for Jet fuel)
Gas oil (for diesel)
Atmospheric residue
Gas (internal fuel and LPG)
Naphtha (for gasoline)
Crude oil feed
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Vacuum Distillation
Atmospheric residue
Crude oil feed
Light Vacuum Gas Oil / Waxy Gas Oil
Medium Vacuum Gas Oil
Reduced pressure
Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil
Vacuum residue
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Catalytic Cracking
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Hydrocracker
• Hydro crackers are not new units on the refinery
• Frequently used to upgrade difficult distillate streams
from:
• Vacuum units – high wax/viscosity
• Cokers – very unstable and generally poor quality fuels
• Visbreakers/Thermal gas oil units – unstable
• Catcrackers – cycle oils unstable and very aromatic.
• The bottom stream from the distillation unit is either
recycled or
moved on as a feedstock for other processes.
It can also be used as a very low sulphur fuel in its own
right or as a LS fuel blend component
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Hydro Cracker Bottoms
• Very low Sulphur
• Very low metals
• Quite waxy – High pour point
• High viscosity relative to normal distillates
• Very high flash point
• Excellent ignition/combustion properties
Cheaper than gas oil!
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ISO 8217 - Specification of Marine Fuels
• Distillate Fuel (marine gas oil)
• Residual Fuel (fuel oil)
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‘Traditional’ Blend components
• Distillate fuel
– Gas oil (atmospheric distillation)
– Waxy gas oil (vacuum distillation)
– Light cycle oil (cracking)
• Residual fuel
– Vacuum Residue (vacuum distillation)
– Light and Heavy Cycle oils (cracking)
– Main Column Bottoms (cracking)
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MARINE DISTILLATE FUELS ISO 8217:2010
ParameterUnit Limit DMX DMA DMZ DMB
Viscosity at 40°C mm²/s Max 5.500 6.000 6.000 11.00
Viscosity at 40°C mm²/s Min 1.400 2.000 3.000 2.000
Micro Carbon Residue at 10% Residue
% m/m Max 0.30 0.30 0.30 -
Density at 15°C kg/m3 Max - 890.0 890.0 900.0
Micro Carbon Residue % m/m Max - - - 0.30
Sulphur a % m/m Max 1.00 1.50 1.50 2.00
Water % V/V Max - - - 0.30 b
Total sediment by hot filtration % m/m Max - - - 0.10 b
Ash % m/m Max 0.010 0.010 0.010 0.010
Flash point 0°C Min 43.0 60.0 60.0 60.0
Pour point, Summer 0°C Max 0 0 0 6
Pour point, Winter °C Max -6 -6 -6 0
Cloud point °C Max -16 - - -
Calculated Cetane Index Min 45 40 40 35
Acid Number mgKOH/g Max 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
Oxidation stability g/m3 Max 25 25 25 25 c
Lubricity, corrected wear scar diameter
(wsd 1.4 at 60°C d um Max 520 520 520 520
c
Hydrogen sulphide e mg/kg Max 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00
Appearance Clear & Bright f b, c
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RESIDUAL FUELS ISO 8217:2010
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ECA Fuels – What are they & why do we
have them ?
• MARPOL annex VI regulations, Jan 1st
2015
• 0.1 %m/m max sulphur content
• Does not have to be Gas Oil
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Gas Oil
Quality Issues
• Sulphur content often just above the limit of 0.10% but usually within repeatability
• Flash point occasionally just below 60C
• Risk of microbial infection developing on board if water is present. Maybe stored for long periods
• Low viscosity and hence careful temperature control needed during switching
• Paraffinic – risk of instability with HSFO
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‘Alternative’ ECA Fuels
• ExxonMobil – Premium Heavy Distillate (HDME 50)
– Premium Advanced Fuel Marine ECA 2000 (AFME 200)
• Shell ULSFO (ultra low sulphur fuel oil)
• BP RMD (residual fuel 80 cSt max)
• Lukoil Eco Marine
• SK Energy ULSFO
• Chemoil– 0.10 % S Fuel oil
– DMB (distillate)
Many different names that will
cause confusion
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Availability – 0.10% Gas Oil & LSFO
It appears that there are no major problems with adequate
supplies of 0.10% gas oil to meet the ECA & EU port demand.
There is an increasing number of suppliers offering alternative
LSFO. These include:-
BP - ARA Shell - ARA
Lukoil - Mermansk Exxon Mobil – ARA & Hamb
Total – ARA Lukoil - Mermansk
Cepsa – Algeciras, L.Palmas Vertex – Mobile, Al
Phillips Neste – Helsinki region
Caltex Atlantic Gulf – Gulf Coast
Chemoil – Gulf Coast & Long Beach
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BP Lukoil Cepsa Phillips GS
Caltex
Chemoil
NY/Sav
Chemoil
LA
Chemoil
US Gulf
Density 845.4 870.9 868.0 855.2 866.4 896.0 885.0 858.0
Viscosity @50C 8.78 8.24 8.8 8.6 5.54 26.3 10.5 16.84
Upper Pour
Point
21 21 -12 -12 -9 -6 -4 -20
Water 0.01 0.05 0.004 0 0.15
MCR Lt 0.10 0.29 0.1 0.04 1.88 3.8 0.1 Lt 0.01
Sulphur Lt0.03 0.09 0.05 0.06 0.1 Lt0.1 0.085 0.084
TSP 0.01 0.01 0.01 0 0.05 0.01
Ash Lt 0.01 0.001 0.01 0.06 0.005 0.003
Aluminium Lt 1 6 Lt 5 Lt 1
Silicon Lt 1 1 Lt5 2
Vanadium Lt 1 Lt 1 Lt 0.1 2 Lt 1 Lt 1
Sodium Lt 1 1 4 1 4
Net Calorific 43 42.7 42.8 43 42.7 42 42.5 42.8
Acid Number 0.04 0.15 0.27 2.35 0.1
CCAI 794 792 793 764
Est Cet No. 80.4 58.5
Lubricity 326 270 410 310
Supplier Data
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Exxon
HDME 50
Shell
ULSF
Total
Marine
Vertex Unknown
Density 908.8 889.3 873.8 858.1 990.9
Viscosity
@50C
53.9 31 8.93 16.64 18
Upper
Pour
Point
6 18 -9 -9 -36
Water 0.05 0.1 0.05 0.1 0.1
MCR 0.28 2.31 1.91 0.01 9.8
Sulphur 0.08 0.1 0.1 0.08 0.07
TSP 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
Ash 0.002 0.003 0.002 0 0.01
Aluminiu
m
0.8 5 0 0 2
Silicon 1.1 3 0.6 0 5
Vanadium 2.7 0 0.7 0 10
Sodium 0.1 10 1.7 0 1
Net
Calorific
42.26 42.47 42.69 42.87 41.10
Acid
Number
0.1 0.07 0.25 0.2 0.06
CCAI 794 792 793 764 894
Lubricity 264 257 227 174
Independent test Data
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ExxonMobil HDME 50
• ‘Heavy’ Distillate – Higher flash point than MGO
– Viscosity 25 – 45 cSt @ 50°C
– Density 895- 915 kg/m³ @ 15°C
– Pour point 15 - 30°C
• Low in catalyst fines
• Produced at Antwerp refinery – launch date mid 2014
• ISO 8217 compliant ?– Fails distillate specs for viscosity, density, pour point
– Meets residual fuel spec RMD 80
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ExxonMobil HDME 50 – Performance
claims
Advantages
• No thermal shock at switch-over
• Reduced risk of boiler explosions
• Lubricity additive not required
• Higher energy content (compared with DMA)
Disadvantages
• Cleaning effect in storage tanks > filter blocking
• High pour point > heated storage
• Possible compatibility issues, limit co-mingling to 2%
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ExxonMobil AFME 200
• ‘Advanced fuel oil’
• Processed to remove sulphur, metals and other contaminants
• Meets ISO 8217 spec for RME 180– Viscosity 67cSt @ 50°C (typical)
– Density 917 kg/m³ @ 15°C (typical)
– Pour point 0°C (typical)
– CCAI 799
• Available from Southampton – launch date March 2015
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ExxonMobil AFME 200 –Performance claims
• Reduced risk of thermal shock
compared with MGO
– (90°C for 15 cSt at injectors)
• Extended engine life - reduced metals
and other contaminants
• Fully compatible with ExxonMobil
HDME 50 and MGO
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Shell ULSFO
• Ultra low sulphur fuel oil
• Typical properties
• Flash point > 60°C
• Viscosity 10 – 60 cSt @ 50°C
• Density 790- 910 kg/m³ @ 15°C
• Availability– ARA, Montreal, Gulf Coast – Launch Dec 2014
– NY Harbour, Singapore 2015
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Shell ULSFO – Performance claims
Advantages
• Reduced risk of thermal shock compared with MGO
• Good lubricity - additive not required
• Good ignition properties
Disadvantages
• Possible compatibility issues, limit co-mingling to 2%
• Beware of cleaning effect – blocked filters
• Cylinder oil issues – use lower TBN oil
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Lukoil ULSFO
• Flash point > 60°C
• Viscosity 10 – 60 cSt @ 50°C
• Density 790- 910 kg/m³ @ 15°C
• Good ignition properties (paraffinic)
• Available in ARA, – Launch Dec 2014
• Beware of cleaning effect – blocked filters
• Avoid mixing - compatibility issues possible
• Cylinder oil issues – use lower TBN oil
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The “new” fuels on offer
• Some come from Hydrocracker cycle oils and bottoms
• Some DMB type products
• Some are from multiple blends including a sulphur reduced residual.
• Others could be from recycled used oils
• Product description can be vague and confusing.
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Alternative 0.1% fuels
• The products are all very different
• They would not meet any of the ISO Distillate grades
• Density range 845.0 – 910.0 kg/cum
• Viscosity range 8cSt – 70cSt @50C
• Pour Point range -20 to + 22 deg C
• Low metals, good ignition, low acid, good lubricity.
• As with Gas Oil they may not be compatible with HFO.
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Ship Operational Issues
1. Storage
2. Segregation
3. Heating
4. Changeover
5. Availability
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Delivery manifold
Primary tanksDeep Double bottomWing
Transfer pump
Settling tank Service tank
Purifiers
Supply and booster pumps
Heaters
Filters
High Sulphur F.O.
Note: One primary tank may have Been used to store 1.0% LSFO up until 2015Some ships have two settling and service tanks – HSFO & LSFO
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Delivery manifold
Segregated from
HSFO
Primary tanks
Deep
Double bottom
Wing
Transfer pump
Settling tank Service tank
Purifiers for
distillate only
Supply and booster
pumps
Cooler??
Filters
Gas Oil or 0.1%
sulphur fuel.
Storage tank
Segregated from
HSFO
Could be a tank
previously used for
HFO after cleaning
Some ships use HSFO
circulating and booster
pumps. Others have
dedicated LSFO system
Traditional MDO/Gas
Oil tanks have no
heating coils
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Delivery manifold
Segregated from
HSFO
Primary tanks
Deep
Double bottom
Wing
Transfer pump
Settling tank Service tank
Purifiers for
distillate only
Supply and booster
pumps
Cooler??
Filters
Gas Oil or 0.1%
sulphur fuel.
Storage tank
Segregated from
HSFO
Could be a tank
previously used for
HFO after cleaning
Some ships use HSFO
circulating and booster
pumps. Others have
dedicated LSFO system
HSFO
supply
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Commercial Issues
1. Purchase and Supply specifications
2. Significance of some characteristics being out of specification
3. Charterparty quality clauses
4. Price
5. Storage and Transportation
6. Additives
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Purchase and Supply Specifications
• Most of these fuels are distillates but do not conform with ISO distillate grades
• Some may meet with ISO low viscosity residual fuel grades but beware of different quality characteristics between residual grades and the test methods to be used
• Routine testing labs need to be aware of the type of fuel ordered and compare test results against the correct specification and not assume an ISO grade
• Most likely that supply quality for contract purposes would be based upon Supplier specification rather than ISO
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Significance of quality not meeting
specification
• As with all fuels the deviation from the
specification may give rise to
commercial and technical claims and
disputes
• In each case the deviation would need
to be evaluated and consideration
given to the potential consequences
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Charterparty clauses
• These typically contain reference to ISO grades
• If the charterer wants to supply any of these alternative fuels he will need to agree with the ship owner who would need to be satisfied that the fuel is suitable for his particular vessel
• Pour point and storage temperature may be critical
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Price
• Most of these alternative fuels should
be cheaper than gas oil
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Storage and Transportation
• Suppliers will need to ensure high pour point fuels are kept at temperature at least 10deg C above their pour point throughout the supply chain
• These fuels have a tendency to clean tanks and lines of pre-existing residual deposits and they should only be supplied through clean designated systems
• Ship’s tanks and lines must be free of residue
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Additives
• There is a potential for pour point
modifiers but these would be added in
the supply chain rather than on board
ship
• Additive price may make these fuels
less attractive.
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Conclusions
• These alternative fuels have merits
• In particular they are low in metals, stable and provide high energy with good igniition and combustion
qualities
• Pour point and storage temperature need consideration
• They must be segregated from residual fuels (but this is also the case with gas oil)
• May not be compatible with other alternative fuels. Those with residual component may not be compatible
with gas oil.
• CFPP could become an issue but test is only appropriate on some of these fuels
• Ship’s crew MUST know what they are getting and manage storage and treatment on board accordingly
• More attractive for use on ships that trade in ECAs where there is a regular supply of similar product
• No reports of problems to date!
• Forget compliance with existing ISO grades as this is not helpful!
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FOR
YOUR ATTENTION
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