(EnergyAsia, March 27 2012, Tuesday) — International classification society and verification group RINA said it has been appointed by Indonesia’s electricity utility PT PLN to help develop the world’s first marine compressed natural gas (CNG) project.

PLN expects to begin delivering between 3,000 and 6,000 standard cubic feet (mscf) per day of CNG from the island of Gresik to Lombok from 2013, where it will feed the Peaking power plant.
 
Having already delivered the feasibility study, RINA said it is now developing the front end engineering design (FEED), and will provide support during tendering and project management at the engineering procurement and construction (epc) phase. Tendering will begin in May 2012 with a number of different technologies to be considered.

According to RINA, this is a pilot project to use cheaper natural gas in place of liquid fuel for power production. If it succeeds, the marine CNG technology will be applied to other power plants across the country with similar or larger capacity.

PLN has mapped out potential utilisation of CNG in Indonesia. CNG will come from low-capacity gas wells, marginal gas wells, gas flare and surplus of gas supply as a result of a fluctuating gas absorption pattern.
 
RINA said it will advise on the most appropriate type of vehicle, logistical pattern, design of the compression and decompression terminals, and documents for EPC tender for construction of the marine CNG facilities. RINA has developed rules for the classification of CNG ships, which are based on new technological guidelines and which take into account experience gained so far in the field.

Italy-based RINA Group is an international company that helps enterprises and communities to achieve greater competitiveness and effective risk management through the conception, creation, management and assessment of projects.