Update: World's 1st Converted FLNG Vessel
Update: The Hilli Episeyo vessel is expected to be delivered in August to offshore Cameroon, a spokesperson for Keppel told NGW July 3. This is expected to leave a period for commissioning of the FLNG vessel during September.
Keppel Offshore & Marine has hosted a naming ceremony for what is expected to become the world’s first converted floating liquefaction vessel.
The vessel was named Hilli Episeyo at the ceremony at the Keppel Shipyard July 2 in Singapore, the company said without providing the date on which it will sail for Africa. The vessel will be put in operation later offshore Kribi and, as Cameroon FLNG, will be Africa's first floating liquefaction project.
Perenco and Cameroon's state SNH will operate the project, while the liquefaction vessel will be chartered to it by shipowner Golar LNG.
"Compared to newbuilds, converted FLNGVs are significantly more cost-effective and faster to market, without compromising safety and processing capabilities,” Chris Ong, CEO of Keppel O&M said.
"We are uniquely positioned to take on projects also in a low commodity price environment and determined to enable unlocking of reserves from remote, marginal and stranded gas fields," Golar LNG CEO Oscar Spieler.
In its 1Q results on May 31, Golar had said that the naming ceremony would be held July 2 and that, barring unforeseen circumstances, it could begin producing by end-September.
Hilli Episeyo was converted from a 1975 built Moss LNG carrier with a storage capacity of 125,000 m3. Sponsons (projection on the side of a ship) were added on both sides of the hull to house the topside equipment comprising of: pre-treatment systems, four Prico single mixed refrigerant liquefaction trains, boil-off gas compression and offloading equipment. Hilli Episeyo is designed for a liquefaction capacity of about 2.4mn mt/yr.
Shardul Sharma