Research and Innovation at NTNU and SINTEF
Liquified Gas for the World Market
From the future Snøhvit-field, Norwegian natural
gas will be distributed to far-off markets in tankers - liquefied
petroleum gas (LNG) with the help of technology developed
in cooperation with Statoil.
We take part of the credit for both the liquifying technology
and for the new heat exchanger that is being used at the
process facility on the coast of Finnmark . Heat exchangers
are among the main components for the manufacturing of LNG.
Until recently, an American company was alone in this particular
market. With our technology the monopoly is now broken.
Offshore Fields with no Platforms
Oil and gas are transported in one single pipeline straight
from the well and over long distances on the sea floor. Thus
it is possible to exploit new oil and gas fields offshore
without any platforms or production ships.
Knowledge provided by NTNU and SINTEF is being implemented
in sub-sea production systems throughout the world. The knowledge
emanated from experiments in the world's largest laboratory
of its kind, the multiphase flow test facility outside Trondheim
. This research has made it possible to develop offshore
fields that would otherwise be unprofitable.
From Gas to Environmental Diesel
We have assisted Statoil in developing technology that converts
natural gas into environmentally friendly fuel. This product
contains neither sulphur nor aromatics. Producing diesel
fuel in this manner results in a particularly high-quality
fuel and a reduced particle emission through the exhaust.
The technology is developed for gas fields that are too
distant for the gas to be transported in pipelines. Statoil
is in the process of building a test facility in South Africa
. The operation will be on a semi-commercial scale.
Gas Engines
For a number of years, NTNU and SINTEF have helped designing
gas engines for combined power/heat systems. This work has
resulted in four engine types, which today are commercial
products from Wärtsilä in Finland and Rolls Royce
in Bergen .
This engine technology has been modified to operate as ship
propellants. Our concept recently realized a unique LNG-tanker
- the first in the world to be driven by gas engines. Our
design is also propelling the first two supply ships on natural
gas.
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