Nord Gas Solutions to supply VOC recovery systems for two purpose-built OSVs

Nord Gas Solutions to supply VOC recovery systems for two purpose-built OSVs

Nord Gas Solutions will supply volatile organic compound (VOC) recovery systems for two purpose-built offshore support vessels (OSVs) being developed for Texas GulfLink’s offshore crude oil loading operations in the Gulf of America.

The systems will capture and recover VOC emissions generated during the loading of very large crude carriers (VLCCs), with each system capable of capturing approximately 310,000 metric tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually, according to Nord Gas Solutions.

“We have worked closely with the Sentinel Midstream team for a number of years to develop this first-of-its-kind solution delivering both environmental benefits through reduced emissions and commercial returns through the capture and recovery of liquid VOCs during offshore VLCC loading,” says Hans Jakob Buvarp, sales manager at Nord Gas Solutions.

The two vessels will form part of Texas GulfLink’s planned offshore loading facility, approximately 30 miles off the Texas coast. The project is being developed to enable fully laden VLCCs to load US crude oil for export to global markets. It comes as part of a wider push to develop lower-emission technologies for offshore operations, with recent examples including Archipelago Yachts and Chartwell Marine’s methanol-powered range-extension system for electric vessels.

“Texas GulfLink is being designed not simply to expand US crude export capacity, but to establish a new global standard for how large-scale energy exports can be conducted safely, efficiently and responsibly,” says Brad Ramsey, chief operating officer of Texas GulfLink.

“By capturing emissions directly during VLCC loading, we are incorporating an innovative environmental solution into the fundamental design of the facility while strengthening America’s ability to efficiently and responsibly deliver energy to its allies and global markets.”

How the system works

The vessel concept has been developed by Nord Gas Solutions and Vaholmen VOC Recovery AS in cooperation with Sentinel Midstream and its affiliate Texas GulfLink LLC. The vessels will be constructed at a US shipyard and operated as an integral part of the offshore loading operation.

The VOC recovery system comprises a VOC recovery module and liquid VOC storage tank, alongside two gas turbines and a gas combustion unit, associated fuel systems and safety and control systems.

Texas GulfLink placed the order with Nord Gas Solutions in July 2026. Equipment delivery will be coordinated with vessel construction and commissioning, with the project scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Nord Gas Solutions is the new corporate brand formed following the acquisition of Wärtsilä Gas Solutions by Mutares SE & Co., which took effect on 1 June 2026.