LNG

Malaysian energy company Petronas has reported a fire at its main onshore liquefied natural gas production plant at Bintulu, located in the eastern state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

Malaysian energy company Petronas said it had sucessfully moved its “PFLNG Satu” floating LNG production hull to the Kebabangan field offshore Sabah and introduced the first feed-gas volumes, while the initial cargo was expected to be shipped within weeks.

The “PFLNG Satu” had previously been located over the Kanowit stranded gas field offshore Sarawak where it became the world’s first FLNG vessel to start commercial operations in 2017.

It has now been moved to a location 90 kilometres offshore Sabah, the Malaysian state on the northern part of the island of Borneo, and is starting liquefaction of gas from the Kebabangan cluster field.

The first LNG cargo delivery from the new field is scheduled to take place in June.

“The introduction of first gas into the ‘PFLNG Satu’ was to the turret system via a 5-kilometre flexible pipeline,” said Petronas.

“The commencement of a series of start-up activities included the cooling down of natural gas until the production of the first LNG,” it added.

The Petronas Vice President of LNG Assets, Zakaria Kasah, said the moving of the FLNG hull showcases the company’s focused execution and collaboration efforts.

“We not only prove our concept of a relocatable floating LNG facility, but we have also seamlessly achieved the first LNG in just three days after first gas,” added Kasah.

“This is indeed another proud moment and a great milestone for Petronas and the floating LNG industry,” he stated.

Designed for water-depth of between 70 metres and 200 metres and with a processing capacity of 1.2 million tonnes per annum, the “FLNG Satu” operates with a crew of 155 onboard.

Petronas is also developing a second FLNG venture using another vessel to be deployed over the deepwater Rotan gas field, about 80 miles offshore Sabah.

Its joint venture partner is the Thai state energy company PTTEP, which purchased its stake from Murphy Oil, the US exploration and production company.

The Rotan gas well was discovered by Murphy in 2007. The Rotan field FLNG vessel is being designed to produce 1.5 MTPA.

Global commodities companies are continuing to increase their volumes of liquefied natural gas trading volumes from international oil and gas companies and state-owned energy firms.

Malaysian energy company Petronas has started commercial gas-up and cool-down services for the global LNG carrier fleet from its liquefaction plant at Bintulu port in Sarawak in competition to other ports such as Singapore.

South Korean liquefied natural gas imports rose by 8.8 percent in June compared with a year ago as shipments arrived from main supplier Qatar and other nations, including Australia, the US, Oman, Indonesia and Malaysia, which delivered a cargo from its floating plant offshore Sarawak.

May 30 (LNGJ) - The 150,000 cubic metres capacity carrier “Seri Cenderawasih” will unload a shipment on June 1 at the South Korean Incheon terminal from Malaysia’s “PFLNG Satu” floating liquefaction plant offshore Sarawak. The 145,700 cubic metres capacity vessel “Tangguh Jaya” will deliver an Indonesian cargo on June 5 to the South Korean Pyeongtaek terminal, operated by Korea Gas Corp. The 172,000 cubic metres capacity carrier “Beidou Star” will unload a shipment on June 9 at the Indian Dahej terminal from the Chevron-operated Gorgon plant in Western Australia. The 135,000 cubic metres capacity ship “Hyundai Oceanpia” will deliver a cargo on June 10 to the South Korean Tong-Yeong terminal from the Oman export plant in the Arabian Peninsula. The 170,050 cubic metres capacity vessel “Hoegh Giant” will deliver a cargo on June 22 to the Chinese Ningbo terminal in eastern Zheijang province, operated by China National Offshore Oil Corp., from the Sabine Pass facility in Louisiana owned by Cheniere Energy.