MacGregor advances direct ship-to-well LCO₂ transfer, built on 50 years of proven bow-loading technology

MacGregor has introduced a new Liquid Carbon Dioxide (LCO₂) Bow Transfer System (BTS) to facilitate efficient, secure ship-to-well and ship-to-rig transfers of LCO₂ under various conditions. This innovative system eliminates the need for expensive onshore storage and conditioning facilities, which are often necessary under current standards.

The BTS draws heavily from MacGregor’s Bow Loading System (BLS), which has been successfully utilized in the oil and gas industry since the 1970s. About 79% of the new system employs proven field technology, with the remaining components comprising targeted modifications and newly designed elements tailored to handle LCO₂’s unique properties.

The system’s seals have been rigorously tested by SINTEF research organization, proving their durability under rapid gas decompression and low temperatures as low as -57°C, the point at which CO₂ transitions from a liquid to a solid state. Designed to withstand heavy sea states with wave heights ranging from five to six meters, the system also ensures a watertight seal even at depths of up to 150 meters.

MacGregor’s Development Programs Manager, Øyvind Solli, emphasized that the system's robust design addresses the challenges of securing safe and reliable connections, transfers, and disconnections in any season, even during severe weather, thereby preventing disruptions and supporting the business case for carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.

This system can be adapted to four different system architectures, catering to low- and medium-pressure (30–60 bar) and high-pressure (300 bar) direct reservoir injection through seabed swivels or disconnectable turrets. MacGregor is currently participating in the EU-funded COREu research and innovation consortium and is engaged in a technology qualification process with DNV.

The company has completed the planning phase, which includes a qualification basis, technology assessment, threat assessment, and qualification plan. Prototype testing and demonstrations are scheduled for mid-2027, with Solli expressing confidence that all risks associated with the equipment and its application for LCO₂ transfer have been identified and mitigated.

DNV has formally confirmed these findings, establishing a framework for managing and mitigating the identified risks, including specific methods for final verification.