Italy’s energy giant Eni and China-based Wison New Energies have held the sailaway ceremony in Shanghai for the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility that the latter is building for the former’s LNG development offshore Congo.
The unit, FLNG Nguya , has storage capacity for 180,000 cubic meters of LNG and 45,000 cubic meters of LPG. With a liquefaction capacity of 2.4 million tons per annum (mtpa), it will form part of Phase 2 of Eni’s Congo LNG project, the African country’s first LNG project.
Congo LNG is designed to exploit the gas resources of the Marine XII project with the installation of two FLNG units at the Nenè and Litchendjili fields. One unit, FLNG Tango , is already working at the concession.
Boasting a 0.6 mtpa capacity, Tango exported its first cargo in February 2024 , three months after the introduction of first gas , exporting 12 cargoes since then. FLNG Nguya is set to join it by the end of the year, bringing the total capacity of the Congo LNG project to 3 mtpa.
In addition to boosting production at the Marine XII concession, the 376-meter-long and 60-meter-wide FLNG Nguya will also be able to process gas from other fields. According to Eni, the 33 months it took from contract award to sail away sets a record for time-to-market in the entire sector.
“Through our unique EPCIC one-stop service, we minimized interface across the project execution period, forged seamless collaboration with Eni project team, and ultimately delivered one month ahead of contract schedule—setting a new benchmark for international energy projects,” said Wei Huaqing , Vice President of Wison New Energies and Project Director of FLNG Nguya.
Wison started the construction of the unit in January 2023 , and a previous milestone for the project, the hull launch , was held in November.
The facility integrates low-carbon features, including dual-fuel essential generators and waste heat recovery units (WHRU), which Wison says help reduce carbon emissions without compromising operational efficiency.
The Chinese player also disclosed that Chart Industries’ proprietary IPSMR liquefaction technology and SPB tank were incorporated into a floating liquefaction production facility for the first time, ensuring high liquefaction efficiency and reliable cargo storage system performance.
Eni noted that the floating production and compression unit, which will be used to send processed gas to the Nguya unit, has been refurbished and will set sail in the coming days. The Italian giant sees the reuse of what used to be the Scarabeo 5 drilling rig as an example of circular economy, in line with its decarbonization efforts.
Additionally, the Italian player stated that work on the subsea infrastructure required to launch Phase 2 of the Congo LNG project is progressing on schedule, with mooring and startup expected by the end of 2025.
Alongside LNG developments, Eni has been busy with those related to carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). Earlier this month, the Italian firm entered into a definitive agreement with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) to sell a stake in its affiliate that operates the Liverpool Bay and Bacton projects in the UK and the L10 in the Netherlands.