Industrial Pumps Blog

Increasingly tighter regulations are being implemented worldwide to curb the use of sulfur-based fuels and the pollution which they create.  The European Union is one of the world’s leading trading blocs and also is leading the way in the use of legislation curtailing the use of “dirty fuels” on ocean going vessels.  The challenge for ship and fleet owners is that while they may have vessels which comply with regulations in say, the Far East, but which must now comply with the much tighter controls which exist in the European Union.

One example of marine pollution regulations which are causing serious engineering and fuel issues for ship owners are the European Union’s MARPOL (Marine Pollution) Annex VI Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships. These regulations prohibit the burning of sulfur-based fuel oils and provide for a strict timetable for implementation around various ports around the world. For instance, there are stated reductions in the emission of sulfur oxide (SOx) variants, carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide variants (NOx).

Additional EU Directives enabled in 2010 mandate that ships which are docked for more than 2 hours must use marine fuel oil which has a 0.1% or less sulfur content. For many operators, this means they must switch between fuel sources when they are in port to MGO – marine gas oil which is low sulfur but which is a poor lubricant because of its low viscosity.  In turn, the poor lubrication qualities will impact on the ships’ pumping systems and general machinery.

This contrasts with the situation prior to implementation of pollution emission regulations.  High-sulfur fuels could be used, which had good lubrication properties or lent it to being heated in order to improve pumping functionality.  Now low-sulfur fuels must be used which are already less viscous and would require excessive heat to be applied which is not feasible in an engine room (where the ambient temperature is typically around 40 degrees C and in some instances reaches 55 degrees C). The change in operating conditions needs cooling systems to reduce the oil temperature in order to thicken the oil so it can be pumped efficiently.

The US imposed a 230-mile exclusion zone around the US coast to ensure low sulfur emissions, and the European Union followed suit with stringent new regulations on the use of low-sulfur fuels to reduce emissions.  The impact on marine shipping operators should not be underestimated, however there are very good reasons for the anti-pollution moves and pressure to further tighten the rules and enforce global reduction in emissions is intensifying.

Some industry insiders have observed that the fifteen largest merchant ships currently operating on the world’s oceans are thought to be responsible for as much pollution as all the cars currently on the roads around the world (around 800 million). The typical giant container ship is capable of emitting the same amount of carcinogens as fifty million vehicles.

The reason for such high levels of pollutant emissions from marine vessels is directly related to the fuel used; bunker fuel is low grade oil and holds up to two thousand times the sulfur content as the gas you pump into your own car in the US (or in most European countries).

The US buffer zone is expected to save around 8,000 lives on an annual basis (though US researchers found that around 60,000 deaths in the US were caused by shipping pollution).  The cost has been estimated at around USD $330 billion in annual healthcare costs associated with respiratory and heart conditions.  The main reason for the reduction in deaths due to marine shipping pollution are the reductions in particulate pollution, with sulfur pollutants reducing by 98% (due to burning ultra-low sulfur fuel); general particulates by 85%; and finally, reducing NOx pollution by approximately 80%.

The issue of marine shipping pollution is set to become of greater significance as emerging economies, particularly the Chinese, continue to grow and engage in more international trade.  The demand for a more cost efficient container ships has led to a new breed of low-cost but high-pollution ships which utilize diesel engines as powerful as those found in land-installations but powered by the high-sulfur fuel which is at the root of the emission problem.

The new SOx rules introduced by the Europeans have one important aspect which many operators have allowed to pass relatively unnoticed.  The new emission requirements have led to a change in the viscosity of the marine diesel or marine gas oils used.  The new viscosity is significantly lower than before and this impacts the lubrication of the fuel pumps involved.  Failure to properly lubricate means shorter maintenance cycles and shorter life cycles of the pumps involved – in either case, it means greater cost unless steps are taken to alleviate the problem.

Lubricity has not been a factor with the older, higher viscosity oils, however the lubricating properties of the lower viscosity oils with low sulfur content, is now being called into question.  When low sulfur fuels were initially introduced (back in the 1990’s), the lubrication issue became noticeable after relatively short periods of operation.  Vehicles using low sulfur fuels reported an increase in rotary pump failure after only 3,000 miles of driving.  The pumps failed because of the lack of lubricity and today, the same issues affect marine operators.

The bulk of marine fuel delivery systems require industrial pumps operating with a “full-film” condition so working parts have a protective lubricant between them at all times.  In order to obtain a full-film, the fuel pump needs to operate at a high rate with high viscosity fuel; however the new reduced sulfur fuels are low viscosity.  This leads to failure to achieve full-film and a serious lubrication issue which leads to damage and failure.

The marine industry has taken steps to avoid the issue of low-sulfur fuel creating mechanical failure which plagued the cart industry in the 1990’s by introducing a revised ISO 8217.  This revision of ISO 8217 is effective from July 1^st 2010 and provides a maximum High Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR) value which in turn determines the lubricity of the fuel in question.  A maximum HFRR of 520 is provided by the revised standard and please note, the higher the HFRR value, the lower the lubricity of the oil.

The last Presidential election encompassed the debate over whether to commence offshore drilling operations in our territorial waters in order to reduce our reliance on overseas oil producers.  Whatever the eco-political debate on drilling off our shores, it is a reality that the Gulf of Mexico presents significant engineering challenges and is a prime oil production region for the United States and the world.

The Gulf has seen a rapid expansion in the number of drilling platforms which is set to continue given the increased efforts at uncovering hidden reserves.  The spate of hurricanes over the last few years did create a block on oil and gas production, however this has been reversed and production now exceeds the 2006 production numbers (470 million barrels of oil).

The principal challenge facing operators is the effective operation of deeper wells in the shallow water zone, typically operated by chemical injection.  Shallow water projects are those which take place within 1,000 feet of water while deep-water projects are in excess of this.  Gas drilling operations further split shallow water operations using the TVD (true vertical depth) of the production field and the water depth.

The main problem is the formation of hydrates which will result in costly platform shutdowns.  The increased pressure due to deeper wells, low sea temperatures and extremely lengthy tie-backs all mitigate in favor of extensive hydrate formation.

Another issue is the environmental implications of drilling operations in such as sensitive area.  Oil and gas production utilize equipment and raw materials which will result in severe environmental impact should there be an accidental discharge.  Handling harsh and toxic raw materials requires robust and reliable storage and pumping solutions together with secure redundancy and fail-safe systems.

Finally, there is the harsh environment posed by the salt water sea.  This is highly corrosive, however there is another issue posed by the salt-water environment.  Methanol use produces very hard, abrasive rust particles which will cause severe damage to pumping mechanisms.  Countering this are the pumping systems transferring the range of chemicals to counteract the impact of the environment upon the drilling infrastructure.