Petronas’ FLNG 1 project

Malaysia

Petronas’ FLNG 1 project, the first floating LNG endeavour to begin production, is on track for completion by the fourth quarter of 2015. The floating platform will revolutionise the LNG market and open up new gas reserves in Malaysia to ensure the country maintains its position as a key LNG exporter.

The project is divided into three phases across four years, with the planning phase completed from the first quarter of 2012 to the third quarter of 2013. Phase two, completed in the first quarter of 2014, consisted of cutting steel for the hull structure. Phase three, set for completion by the end of 2015, includes laying and launching of the hull, lifting of the topside modules and final completion of the vessel. Overall construction of the hull was fast-tracked, lasting only 10 months to complete and launch on April 5, 2014.

On September 22, 2014, cranes lifted the first topside module onto the completed hull at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering facility in Okpo, South Korea, signalling a major step towards final completion. This module, where the power generation and control function instruments will be installed, weighs 2,000 tonnes. The remaining 20 modules to be installed, which together weigh 40,000 tonnes, will be added up until completion in 2015. The venture promises to facilitate development of small and remote offshore fields throughout Malaysia that were previously off limits due to high development costs.

PRODUCTION: Upon completion, the floating facility will be towed to the Kanowit gasfield 180 kilometres off the coast of Bintulu, Malaysia. The vessel will then be tethered via an external turret mooring system and begin production of an estimated 1.2 million tonnes per year of LNG, increasing Malaysia’s overall production from 25.7 to 26.9 million tonnes per year. PFLNG 1 is a Det Norske Veritas class vessel, totalling 365 metres in length and close to 60 metres in width. It weighs 125,000 tonnes when fully loaded.

A dual-row cargo containment system enables the cryogenic storage tanks to tolerate sloshing caused by wave motion. An industry first, this feature will facilitate production at other previously undeveloped, remote fields. All LNG storage and liquefaction facilities will be contained on-board, eliminating the need for costly offshore pipelines to carry gas onshore for processing and shipping. Offloading onto LNG carriers will be carried out via a cryogenic marine loading arm.

INITIAL PHASE: The contract for front-end engineering and design, valued at $771 million, was awarded in June 2012 to a consortium comprising Technip and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and includes engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning. Technip designed the topsides at its offices in Kuala Lumpur and Paris.

The vessel will use AP-NTM LNG processes and equipment provided by chemical and gas manufacturer Air Products & Chemicals, including coil-wound heat exchangers, compressor-expanders and economiser cold boxes. Engineering firm UOP will provide its UOP Amine Guard FS process to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide from the PFLNG 1 feed stream. GE Oil & Gas will supply gas turbine-driven compressor train technology, comprising four PGT25+G4 gas turbine generator systems, two PGT25+G4 gas-turbine-driven compressor units and two electric-motor-driven centrifugal compressors modules, all of which will be used to cool natural gas in the liquefaction process.

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