LNG

Keppel Shipyard in Singapore has started work on the conventional LNG carrier “GasLog Chelsea” to convert the vessel to a floating storage and regasification unit to be deployment as an import terminal in eastern Greece to supply the Balkans region.

The FSRU will be stationed in the north-eastern part of the Aegean Sea and about 17.6 kilometres (11 miles) from the costal Greek town of Alexandroupolis.

The vessel is being renamed “FSRU Alexandroupoli” and will serve as an offshore storage and import facility.

The “FSRU Alexandroupoli” will be linked to a pipeline system of 28km connecting the floating unit to the Greek National Natural Gas Transmission System (NNGTS).

The ship of 155,000 cubic metres capacity was also recently reflagged to the Greek flag.

The project’s owner, Gastrade, leads a consortium of key players in the wider region’s energy market. The group includes Mrs Elmina Copelouzou, the shipping line GasLog, the Public Gas Corporation of Greece (DEFSA), the affiliated Greek company DEPA Commercial, the Hellenic Natural Gas Transmission System Operator and Bulgartransgaz, the Bulgarian natural gas transmission and storage system operator.

Ship for its time

“GasLog believed in the ‘FSRU Alexandroupoli’ endeavor from the very beginning and at a time when energy security in Europe was taken for granted,” said Kostas Karathanos GasLog’s Chief Operating Officer.

“We worked patiently and diligently to reach this stage and we are extremely proud to soon offer the first ever FSRU in Greek waters,” added Karathanos

“Through GasLog’s renowned high standards of safety and reliability, the ‘FSRU Alexandroupolis’ will offer energy diversification and security to the wider region and establish GasLog as an integrated provider of natural gas solutions,” he stated.

GasLog is being backed in the conversion process by the leading European classification society DNV.

Martin Cartwright, Business Director DNV Maritime’s Gas Carriers and FSRUs division, said the project was moving forward as a result of “an exceptional collaborative” effort.

Ninth FSRU

“This will be our record 9th FSRU conversion project as a classification society and we take great pride in being entrusted with supporting this initiative,” explained Cartwright.

“By choosing DNV and our pioneering REGAS (ES) and ASP notations, the consortium demonstrates that they are focused on delivering an installation that meets the most innovative and rigorous standards in the industry,” he stated.

The investors noted that the “FSRU Alexandroupoli” vessel and the project aim to add a new gateway for natural gas in the Greek and wider Balkan region, improving the region's energy mix and diversifying energy sources to enhance security.

Kosmos Energy, the shareholder along with UK major BP in the floating LNG export project offshore Senegal and Mauritania, said the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit for the venture had broken free from the quayside during a typhoon at the Chinese shipyard where it had just been completed.

China’s Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry said it had completed the construction of the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit that will be deployed as part of the BP-led floating LNG export project offshore the West African nations of Mauritania and Senegal.

Kosmos Energy, based in Dallas, Texas, is the partner of BP in the joint venture centred on the Greater Tortue-Ahmeyim gas fields, the first phase of which is about 80 percent complete.

The first Mauritania-Senegal FLNG production facility is scheduled to have first gas in early 2023.

The Greater Tortue-Ahmeyim LNG project has the FPSO as one of its key installations.

As part of support for the FPSO, mooring piles were pre-installed offshore while Cosco Shipping was completing the facility.

Cosco Shipping confirmed it had completed the construction of the FPSO at its Qidong shipyard and a completion ceremony had been held.

Dimensions

The Chinese company said the FPSO is 270 metres in length, 54.5 metres wide, 31.5 metres deep and the living quarters can accommodate 140 people.

Cosco was responsible for the FPSO’s main hull and living quarters, as well as the construction of topside modules.

“This FPSO is a key part of the Greater Tortue-Ahmeyim LNG project and will soon sail to Mauritania and Senegal to create a new energy hub in Africa,” added a statement.

In addition to the FPSO, a floating liquefaction plant is being completed at Singapore’s Keppel Shipyard.

This involves the conversion to a liquefaction facility of the conventional LNG carrier, the “Gimi”, which will have 2.5 million tonne per annum of output.

The FPSO will process gas from the Tortue-Ahmeyim field, removing heavier hydrocarbon components, prior to delivering it to the FLNG hull.

The Greater Tortue-Ahmeyim project is expected to have a second phase producing gas on the Mauritania-Senegal maritime border in partnership with the national oil and gas companies of Senegal and Mauritania, Petrosen and SMHPM respectively.

The Hiranandani Group of India and Höegh LNG of Norway have confirmed they are on track to deploy a floating import terminal in March 2021 to supply liquefied natural gas to the West Coast Indian state of Maharashtra and become to become nation’s seventh terminal.

Höegh LNG and Hiranandani Group subsidiary H-Energy have just completed and signed all documentation for the 10-year charter of the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), the “Höegh Giant”.

The agreement is for a period of 10 years with annual termination options after year five.

“The ‘FSRU ‘Höegh Giant’ is currently completing its LNGC charter with Spanish utility Naturgy, and will then proceed directly to Keppel Shipyard (Singapore) for minor modifications, in addition to pre-completion of the vessel’s five-year periodic class survey, originally scheduled for 2022 as this will improve efficiency and reduce costs.,” explained Höegh.

“The vessel is expected to be off hire for approximately 40 days in the first quarter of 2021 before the start-up under the H-Energy contract in March 2021,” added the Norwegian firm.

The Indian company is aiming to develop LNG regasification terminals and cross-country pipelines on the West and East coasts of India and is making a start with the FSRU at Jaigarh port.

H-Energy’s first vessel, the “Höegh Giant”, was built in 2017 and has a storage capacity of 170,000 cubic metres and peak regasification capability of 750 million standard cubic feet per day to handle up to 6 million tonnes per annum of LNG.

“The FSRU will deliver regasified LNG to the 56-kilometres Jaigarh-Dabhol pipeline connecting to the Indian National Gas grid and will also deliver LNG onshore for LNG truck-loading facilities,” the companies explained.

The FSRU will also deliver LNG for onshore distribution through LNG truck loading facilities, as well as reloading LNG onto small-scale LNG vessels for downstream distribution or LNG bunker services.

Höegh President and Chief Executive Sveinung J.S. Støhle said he was delighted to have completed the agreements with H-Energy for the first FSRU LNG import terminal in India.

“A roadmap with H-Energy also includes the joint development of the downstream small-scale LNG market in the region, using the FSRU as the terminal for storage and re-loading to smaller vessels,” added Støhle

“India is a high-growth market and we see clear potential for Höegh LNG to provide additional FSRUs and clean energy solutions to this market over the coming years,” he stated.

Kosmos Energy, the partner of UK major BP in the Greater Tortue-Ahmeyim floating LNG project in territorial waters of Mauritania and Senegal, has given a project update after BP “force majeure” delay notice on Golar liquefaction vessel.

UK major BP has issued a “force majeure” notice to a subsidiary of Golar LNG relating to the delivery of a floating LNG production hull, the “Gimi”, for a start-up date in 2022 for the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project offshore Mauritania and Senegal.

Chart Industries, the US liquefied natural gas equipment-maker and supplier to the liquid gas sector, said it would be ramping up manufacturing to meet new LNG project orders on the Gulf Coast and in Asia, while more business is expected in trucking and rail transportation of the fuel.

Dec 17 (LNGJ) - Golar LNG, the fleet owner and project developer, said it was advancing with a contract awarded by the Mauritania-Senegal joint venture partners, BP of the UK and Kosmos Energy of the US, for the provision of a floating liquefaction vessel to serve the Greater Tortue and Ahmeyim gas fields offshore West Africa. Golar said it had received a limited notice to proceed, furthering its previous preliminary agreement and heads of terms for the charter first announced in April 2018. The vessel conversion would take place at Keppel Shipyard after the Singapore yard’s delivery of FLNG hull, “Hilli Episeyo”, using liquefaction technology from Black and Veatch Corp. of the US. “Discussions regarding a minority investment in the vessel are also being progressed,” said Golar.

Keppel Offshore and Marine and French LNG storage technology firm GTT have signed a technical assistance and licensing agreement, enabling the Singaporean company to seek more contracts in the bunkering, floating storage and power businesses.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) awarded grants to support the construction of two liquefied natural gas bunkering vessels as the city state aimed for LNG fuel leadership in Asia.