New Emissions Measurement Technology for BP

In September 2006 Cascade Technologies (UK) secured a technology licensing deal with BP, valued at in excess of £4million to the company over the next three years. Cascade Technologies exclusively design and supply emissions monitoring systems for use in the marine industry.
BP Marine, a subsidiary of the energy giant, has invested in Cascade Technologies for access to the advanced QCL system. Cascade provide on-board technical support to approve the laser-based analyser system.
Krystallon – a joint venture between BP Marine and Kittiwake established to develop innovative pollution abatementmethodologies – supply the sensors develop the data recording and data transmission systems. The QCL technology is lightweight, rapidly installed, virtually maintenance-free and has capabilities to measure greenhouse
gases, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SOx).
Richard Cooper, business development director at Cascade Technologies, said: “We are excited at the prospect of working alongside BP to develop this new application for our ground-breaking technology, which will allow BP to measure emissions more quickly, accurately and cost-effectively.
“Cascade Technologies developed and patented the world’s first real-time technology for the detection of emissions, as well as gas and explosives compounds, through its revolutionary use of QCLs. This technology offers unprecedented levels of sensitivity and the ability to quickly analyse complex gases in harsh industrial environments.
“Its highly portable and robust nature has enabled it to be applied in new and previously unavailable areas.”
The deal with BP was struck in response to the introduction of sulphur emission control areas (SECAs), which set limits on sulphur oxide emissions from ship exhausts. Furthermore, recent maritime legislation limits the emissions of oxides of nitrogen from ship engines, as well as deliberate emissions of ozone-depleting substances.
BP Marine believes that the new technology will help the shipping industry demonstrate compliance with regulations governing the emissions of NOx, SOx and future more stringent in-port requirements of the European Union. Today all shipsmust carry an International Air Pollution Prevention certificate, (IAPP), which which certifies that
the ship is in compliance with the International Maritime Organisation’s requirements, whilst fromthe 1st January 2010,
the European Union requires that allmarine fuel used in EU portsmust have a sulphur content of less than 0.1 percent.
Don Gregory – Director, Environment and Sustainability at BP Marine – said: “BP Marine has led the field in supporting this pioneering work; it underlines our commitment to a sustainable environmental approach for our customers to manage emissions from ships. The first step in managing emissions is to be able to measure emissions.
Cascade’s technology enables practical and reliable continuous emissions montoring of marine diesel engines and boilers to be achieved.