China National Offshore Corp or CNOOC, the country’s largest liquefied natural gas importer is spearheading an innovative project — harnessing cold energy for the aquaculture industry — at its largest LNG receiving terminal. Instead of discharging the huge amount of cold energy — which is produced during LNG vaporization and distribution — into the ocean, the company has decided to utilize it for aquaculture within the terminal, turning what was once considered waste into a valuable resource. Similar to a marine aquarium, red snappers and lobsters, among others, are raised in the cold water within the terminal, one of the largest LNG receiving stations in China. Tests have shown that the fish meet the requirements of various physiological indicators, said the company.
While cold energy has in the past been applied to low-temperature power generation and refrigerated storage, CNOOC has been the first to start aquatic cultivation through LNG cold energy, marking a new step in the construction of modern “ocean ranches” in the domestic LNG industry, said Li Ziyue, an analyst with BloombergNEF.
“During the re-gasification process of LNG, a substantial amount of cold energy is often wasted. If harnessed properly, it can greatly enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions,” she said. “CNOOC’s innovative approach can both utilize LNG cold energy and revolutionize the aquaculture industry.”
According to CNOOC, the aquaculture experiment focuses on high-value fish species such as grouper and snapper, as well as seafood such as shrimp, crab, and sea cucumber. Its projected annual output is expected to reach 100,000 kilograms. The use of cold energy in aquaculture is expected to reduce overall costs by 30% compared with traditional aquaculture.
With temperature control in aquaculture being a major cost factor, the project will help reduce expenses significantly along with considerable economic benefits, said Cao Yueming, secretary-general of the seed branch of the Shenzhen Fisheries Industry Association. Lobster is considered a primary focus for cultivation due to its high value and strict environmental requirements. Currently, lobsters are mainly imported, and the project will help replace high-end seafood imports through local breeding, he said. (Source: China Daily)
Guangdong Dapeng LNG terminal in eastern Shenzhen has officially started aquatic cultivation. Red snappers, lobsters, and abalones, are now expected to be produced at the base in Dapeng, with an estimated annual output of up to 50,000 kg.The terminal is one of the largest LNG receiving stations in China.
It marks a new step in the construction of modern “ocean ranches” in domestic LNG industry. In 2023, the Dapeng station’s cold energy processing exceeded 8 million tonnes, and discharging such a huge amount of cold energy directly would result in significant energy waste. CNOOC innovatively decided to utilize the cold energy resources generated from the process by constructing a modern cold energy aquaculture area within the station, integrating green energy with aquaculture.
The cold energy aquaculture area resembles a marine aquarium, with lobsters, groupers, and other fish swimming in the cold water, while technical personnel monitor and record the water temperature and quality in the aquaculture ponds. According to Hao Yunfeng, president of CNOOC Guangdong Dapeng LNG Co. Ltd., after the LNG exchanges heat with seawater, the seawater temperature drops by about 5 degrees Celsius, generally staying between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius according to different seasons, which becomes a scarce cold water resource in the southern sea area and is very suitable for the growth of high-value fish.
In order to fully utilize this valuable cold seawater that would otherwise be discharged, the Dapeng LNG receiving station has successfully achieved cold energy aquaculture through continuous exploration.
Utilizing the cooling water for fish farming serves as a pioneering model of green development. It’s estimated that cooling down 5 degrees Celsius per 1 cubic meter of seawater would consume 5.8 kilowatts of energy. By utilizing such cold water for aquatic cultivation, the terminal is projected to save 1.97 million kilowatt hours of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,800 tons annually.
Cao Yueming, secretary-general of the Seed Branch of the Shenzhen Fisheries Industry Association, said the economic benefits of the trial project are considerable. The market price of the high-value marine products being cultivated is over 100 yuan per 500 grams, and the cost can be reduced by 30% compared with traditional aquaculture.
