The Ineos Intrepid has arrived in Europe with the first load of US shale gas ever

After its departure some days ago, Ineos confirmed that its vessel, the Ineos Intrepid, has arrived at the INEOS petrochemicals plant at Rafnes in Norway, carrying 27.500m³ of US shale gas ethane. This is the very first time that ethane from US shale gas has ever been exported from the USA and the first time it has been imported into Europe.
The Ineos Intrepid is currently one of four specially designed Dragon class ships that will form part of a fleet of eight of the world’s largest ethane capable carriers.
The project has been complex- involving the design and long term charter of all eight Dragon class ships (which will collectively create a virtual pipeline across the Atlantic), connection of the new 300 mile Mariner East pipeline from the Marcellus shale in Western Pennsylvania to the Marcus Hook deep water terminal near Philadelphia, and the creation of new export facilities and storage tanks.
Ineos has invested $2 billion bringing US shale gas to Europe, and has built the largest two ethane gas storage tanks in Europe at Rafnes in Norway and Grangemouth in Scotland.
Ineos will use the ethane from US shale gas in its two gas crackers at Rafnes and Grangemouth, both as a fuel and as a feedstock. It is expected that shipments to Grangemouth will start later this year.