Floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units are a standard solution for offshore oil and gas developments where export pipelines are impractical or uneconomic. Power typically is provided by gas turbines burning associated gas, which is attractive economically but results in significant CO2 and methane. This paper explores the application of a modular, high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) to a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC)-class FPSO. The emphasis of the complete paper is on a coherent case study framework rather than detailed design optimization.
Regulatory, Safety, and Commercial Framework
Overall Governance and Assumptions. For this study, the FPSO is assumed to be permanently moored within a shelf state’s Exclusive Economic Zone, with a single outbound transit to the field and a single return transit for decommissioning. Operationally, the unit is treated as a fixed offshore installation subject to a field-specific safety case while retaining its status as a ship-shaped unit.
The reactor is supplied by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) operating under a national nuclear license in the licensing state.
