EVENDALE, OH - GE Marine & Industrial Engines (M&I) announced the commercial start-up of the first Dry Low Emissions- (DLE) equipped LM aeroderivative gas turbine in the North Sea. The LM2500 DLE unit was sold, packaged, commissioned and started up by Kvaerner Energy, Oslo, Norway.

Two DLE gas turbines will replace two non-DLE LM2500s which were also sold and packaged by Kvaerner Energy. The DLE units will provide mechanical drive service on the Norne floating production, storage and off loading (FPSO) vessel operated by Statoil. Statoil is the Norwegian state-owned oil/gas company.

The first DLE LM2500 for this project began commercial operation in late January 1998; the second DLE unit is scheduled for installation in March. The DLE units are expected to produce less than 25 ppm NOx. An additional two non-DLE LM2500s, sold and packaged by Kvaerner Energy, will continue to provide power for the Norne FPSO.

The gas-fired LM2500s, which were manufactured at M&I's Evendale, OH, facility, provide 31,200 shaft horsepower at ISO ratings.

Including the two DLE units on the Norne FPSO, there are currently 14 LM2500 DLE gas turbines operating in various power generation and compressor drive applications throughout the world. This fleet of DLE LM2500 gas turbines has accumulated more than 40,000 fired hours.

GE M&I is part of GE Aircraft Engines and is headquartered in Evendale, OH.