Singapore’s offshore marine solutions company, PACC Offshore Services Holdings (POSH), is in charge of lending a helping hand in transporting a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit from China to Congo, where it will be deployed at Phase 2 of the African country’s first LNG project, operated by Italy’s energy giant Eni.
Thanks to a deal with Wison New Energies , POSH will tow the FLNG Nguya from Lvsi, Qidong, China, to Congo, where the unit will start its assignment as part of Phase 2 of Eni’s Congo LNG project, where the FLNG Tango is already deployed.
This project is designed to exploit the gas resources of the Marine XII development with the installation of two FLNG units at the Nenè and Litchendjili fields. The tow follows the recent sail-away ceremony for the 376-meter-long and 60-meter-wide FLNG Nguya.
The Singapore-based firm intends to deploy three ocean-going towing tugs to tow the FLNG from China to Congo, and an additional tug in Congo for station-keeping during the hook-up of the FLNG to the SSY mooring system.
With a nominal nameplate capacity of 2.4 million tonnes of LNG per annum, equivalent to 3.3 billion cubic meters of natural gas, the FLNG Nguya will be positioned approximately 50 kilometers offshore from Pointe-Noire, in a water depth of about 33 meters.
POSH recently appointed Longitude for the engineering works related to the marine operations, enabling it to provide engineering services and develop associated procedures covering station-keeping operations, hook-up of the submerged swivel yoke mooring system, tether chain assembly, and the flexible riser to the FLNG, as well as offering offshore operational support.
Eric Ng , Director of Offshore Projects at POSH, commented: “This project represents a significant milestone for POSH, marking our first collaboration with Wison New Energies, and we are truly honoured to support them on this significant FLNG milestone for the Republic of Congo.
“Leveraging our experience in offshore towage and installation, we are committed to delivering safe and reliable marine solutions that contribute to the long-term success of the Nguya FLNG.”
Following Saipem’s conversion of the Scarabeo 5 semi-submersible rig into a floating production unit (FPU) for work on the same project, Congo LNG is expected to reach its full production capacity from 2025.
With an overall LNG production capacity of 3 million tons per year from 2025, this is said to be approximately 4.5 billion cubic meters per year.