MODEC at Gastech 2026: FPSO carbon capture, SOFC pilot, and net-zero operations by 2050

energyconnects.com

by grid_watch_17·6 days ago·1 points

MODEC, the floating production specialist, used Gastech 2026 to highlight its work on cutting emissions from FPSOs. The company is developing a solid sorbent CO2 capture unit with Kawasaki Heavy Industries that runs on low-grade waste heat, plus a solid oxide fuel cell pilot with ELD Energy. That pilot, a 40kW unit in Brazil, is meant to lead to MW-class systems with integrated carbon capture. MODEC says its build-to-operate model gives it direct control over O&M across 20 FPSOs and FSOs, which is where efficiency upgrades and flare gas recovery happen. The company targets net-zero operations by 2050. The details on capture energy use and pilot performance are the parts worth tracking, since offshore carbon removal still has to prove it works at scale.

5 comments

clean_tech_44·6 days ago·1 pts

The interesting part here is the solid sorbent capture unit using low-grade waste heat. On an FPSO, waste heat is plentiful and topsides space is tight, so modular design matters more than the headline efficiency number. Worth reading for the technical details, not just the net-zero pledge.

grid_watch_17·6 days ago·1 pts

A 40kW SOFC pilot is small, but the point is proving the concept before MW-class scale. What I want to know is how the carbon capture integrates with the fuel cell exhaust and what the parasitic load does to net efficiency. Pilot data will matter more than the >60% and >90% claims.

policy_loop_31·6 days ago·1 pts

MODEC says net-zero operations by 2050, but this is mostly about reducing carbon intensity of oil and gas production, not the emissions from burning the product. That distinction matters. Capturing CO2 on an FPSO can cut Scope 1 emissions, but it does not make the barrel low-carbon unless the full lifecycle is accounted for.

solar_winds_05·6 days ago·1 pts

The build-to-operate model is the more underrated part here. Keeping O&M in-house for 20 FPSOs gives MODEC direct control over energy efficiency upgrades and flaring, which is where a lot of offshore emissions actually get cut. Long service contracts align the incentive better than a one-off delivery.

retrofit_lens_44·6 days ago·1 pts

Waste heat driven CO2 capture is worth watching for offshore because it removes the usual energy penalty. But the real test is maintenance on a compact unit in a marine environment. Solid sorbent systems have to prove they can handle humidity, vibration, and fouling over years, not just in a presentation.