Game-Changing Floating LNG Solutions

摘要

Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) solutions are built from matured oil floating production, storage andrnoffloading (FPSO) technology, primarily to monetize stranded offshore hydrocarbon reserves by locatingrna floating production system at the offshore reservoir location. The wellhead gas is brought from subsearncompletion systems and manifolds to the topsides of the FLNG vessel for oil/water/gas separation, wherernneeded, and gas pretreatment and liquefaction.rnFLNG solutions are also being considered for exporting nearshore gas reserves or gas from an on-landrnpipeline network by locating the liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility near the shore. The largerrnon-land baseload LNG export production plants require significant capital and take four to five years tornbe brought online. The FLNG concept provides a faster way to build a small-scale to midscale LNGrnproduction facility nearshore in protected waters and/or dockside and provides flexibility for progressivernproject development and variable LNG sales commitment volumes.rnLiquefaction production capacity is generally governed by the size of the reservoir, gas availability andrnthe strategy to export LNG (volume). The quality (composition) of feed gas brought onboard will dictaternthe complexity and cost of the FLNG facility. Raw gas from the wellhead may contain a large amount ofrnliquids and condensate and heavier hydrocarbons (rich gas), while a pipeline gas from the onshore pipelinernnetwork may be very lean. The FLNG facilities for processing and liquefying raw gas could be complexrnand expensive. Lean gas does not require complex systems. However, in both cases, with a simple singlernmixed refrigerant (SMR) liquefaction technology, the facility can be cost-efficient, faster to build andrneasier to operate.rnSeveral innovative, low-cost and game-changing FLNG configurations have been conceived based onrnthe space-efficient and simple-to-operate liquefaction technology – PRICO® SMR – for both offshore andrnnearshore applications. The simplicity, flexibility and scalability of this process allow a wide range ofrnliquefaction capacities in a unique single- or multiple-train configuration. These configurations includernnew-built carriers and conversion of existing LNG and bulk carriers.rnThis paper covers the development of innovative FLNG solutions, including all critical systems andrnother aspects of the technology and their impacts on the configuration of these solutions, offshore orrnnearshore.