Excelerate Energy Purchases Wärtsilä Reliquefaction System for FSRU Retrofit

Excelerate Energy signed an agreement with Wärtsilä Gas Solutions to purchase a reliquefaction system for retrofit installation onboard a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU). Wärtsilä will deliver the system in early 2026, with further availability for prospective LNG projects and any Excelerate vessel.

“We are committed to reducing the environmental footprint in all our operations, and this project is a substantial part of that commitment,” said David Liner, COO at Excelerate Energy. “We are pleased to partner up with Wärtsilä Gas Solutions for this project, as their experience in reliquefaction systems, technology, and all-round project engineering capabilities make them the ideal partner for us.”

The retrofit project will improve the environmental footprint of Excelerate’s FSRU operations by reliquefying boil-off gas and returning it to the cargo tanks, cutting emissions and saving cargo simultaneously. The reliquefaction system includes features to minimize maintenance and operational costs.

Floating storage regasification unit; Image Credits: Excelerate Energy

“As a market leader in types of cryogenic gas applications, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions has demonstrated to the market for many years that we have the technology to contribute to greener shipping operations,” said Walter Reggente, VP of Wärtsilä Gas Solutions. “We are proud to be partnering with Excelerate Energy, which is a testament to our capabilities in delivering commercial value and environmental benefits to our clients.”

Wärtsilä News

Last week, Wärtsilä and Chevron Shipping Co. agreed to convert one engine on six Chevron Transport LNG carriers from dual-fuel (DF) to spark gas (SG) operation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by lowering methane slip. LNG, when fired as fuel, generates small amounts of non-combustible methane that may escape into the atmosphere—this is called methane slip. Methane has a shorter atmospheric lifespan than CO₂, but traps approximately 25 – 30 times more heat over a 100-year period.

Wärtsilä’s 50DF to SG conversion project will modify the in-service engines to use spark ignition versus diesel pilot fuel for combustion. SG operation enables an optimized combustion process, mitigating methane slip and improving overall efficiency. The first two vessel orders were booked by Wärtsilä in Q3 2024.

Excelerate Energy News

In late 2023, Excelerate Energy signed a long-term LNG SPA with Bangladesh-based Petrobangla. According to the terms of the SPA, Petrobangla will purchase 0.85 - 1.0 MTPA of LNG from Excelerate over a 15-year period, beginning in January 2026. Petrobangla will receive 0.85 MTPA of LNG in 2026 and 2027, with the supply increasing to 1.0 MTPA from 2028 to 2040.

Also in late 2023, Excelerate Energy and Petrobras signed a 10-year charter contract for the Sequoia FSRU. The time charter party and operation and services agreement took effect on Jan. 1, 2024, giving Excelerate the opportunity to deploy the Sequoia for regasification purposes at the Bahia Regasification Terminal in Salvador, Brazil.

The charter agreement extends Excelerate’s regasification services with Petrobras LNG import terminals and, in addition to the Sequoia deployment, FSRU Experience has been providing regasification services at Brazilian terminals. Excelerate will utilize its regasification fleet to provide energy security to the Brazilian market, which derives an approximate 85% of its energy system from renewable sources.