Marlim Azul is a 565MW natural gas thermal power project under construction in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The gas-fired power station was developed by Arke Energia, a joint venture established in December 2018 by Brazilian private equity firm Patria Investments (50.1%), Shell Group (29.9%) and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (20%). The total investment in the project is estimated to be approximately 53578 million pounds (700 million US dollars).

The Marlim Azul Power Plant will be equipped with M501JAC gas turbines from Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) and steam turbines with a rated total output of 565MW. For operation at a turbine inlet temperature of 1600°C, the combustion chamber is cooled by air instead of steam. The start-up time of the gas turbine will be shortened to 30 minutes, and will provide more than 64% plant efficiency in combined cycle operation. The gas turbine is also designed to use up to 30% hydrogen fuel and has an upgrade function that can be upgraded to 100% hydrogen for power generation. Other major components of the power station will include boilers, generators, cooling towers, water treatment plants and natural gas stations.

The Marlim Azul gas-fired power generation project is located in the Macaé Industrial Park, about 200 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The project site is close to the Cabiúnas terminal that receives natural gas from the sub-salt Campos Basin. The Marlim Azul power plant is expected to be the first power plant to use the associated gas in Brazil's Pre-Salt Basin to generate electricity. It is expected to generate enough power to power approximately 2 million Brazilian homes.Editor/Baohongying