9/6/2013

Exploring Technical Developments with Regards to Floating LNG Production, Regasification 
and Floating Liquefaction Vessels
Dr Kurian V. John, Professor, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia

Floating LNG production, regasification and 
liquefaction vessel.

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FLNG
• Floating Liquefied Natural
Gas (FLNG) refers to water‐
based liquefied natural gas
(LNG) operations employing
technologies designed to
enable the development of
offshore natural gas
resources.

LNG developments and observations:

Traditional LNG value chain

Gas Supply Liquefaction LNG Shipping Regasification

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Three types of FLNG:

Floating On‐board  Floating 

Regasification Reliquefaction Liquefaction

Floating
Regasification:
• (FSRUs) are designed to receive LNG from a
shuttle conventional LNG vessel, store and then
regasify the LNG as and when required.
• FSRUs may or may not also be designed to
operate as a conventional LNG vessel, and may
sail to pick up and deliver LNG cargoes
anywhere in the world.
• FSRUs that are barge ‐like are unlikely to
perform (or be able to perform) such ocean
voyages.

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Floating
Regasification:
• Shuttle Regas Vessels (SRVs) are designed to
perform differently .
• They act more like a conventional LNG vessel,
picking up and delivering cargoes, except that
the regas delivery function is typically performed
at a buoy located some distance from the shore.

Floating regasify and 
unload its cargo 
Regasification: upon arrival at 
the remote buoy.

• SRVs are not intended to provide the

LNG storage function of an FSRU. gas is then 
transported (via 
undersea pipeline
• In both FSRUs and SRVs there is no (to
date) gas liquefaction process.

to gas storage 
facilities on‐shore.

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On-board Reliquefaction:

• on ‐board reliquefaction equipment has been

installed on conventional LNG vessels.
• The reliquefaction equipment reliquefies LNG boil
–off gas, with the resultant LNG being pumped
back into the vessel’s containment system.
• While this system requires additional power input,
it can be a useful means of preserving the value of
the vessel’s LNG cargo.

Floating Liquefaction:

• Involves the production of LNG directly at offshore

oil and gas fields by floating production storage and
offloading (FPSO) type vessels.
• Of the three types of “floating LNG”, it is fair to say
that floating liquefaction presents the most difficult
technical, commercial, legal and operating issues.

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Technology to enable efficient and reliable

FLNG:

LNG 
Acid gas 
offloading 
removal
systems

Deep sea 
water 
intake

Acid gas removal

• Extensive technology qualification
• Safeguarding solution can be 
implemented

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LNG offloading
systems
• Tandem and side by side system
developments

Deep sea water

intake
• Riser system for cold deep water
intake
• Technology development and
qualification for 400+ m intake depth

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TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT
ON LNG FLEET
HISTORICAL REVIEW
• The world's first LNG vessel, the Methane Pioneer, a
converted World War II liberty freighter containing five,
7000 Bbl. aluminium prismatic tanks with balsa wood
supports and insulation of plywood and urethane, was
funded by the British Gas Council and American design
consultants Constock.

• carried an LNG cargo from Lake Charles, Louisiana to Canvey Island United Kingdom.
• large quantities of LNG could be transported safely across the ocean.
1959

• British Gas Council proceeded with plans to implement a commercial project to import
LNG
• started commercial LNG transport from Algeria to UK by Methane Princess of 27400m³
1964  capacities.

• Classic LNG vessels are fitted with independent cargo tanks, and dual fuel steam turbine
propulsion.
• The standard size was established in a range of 125000 – 130000m³ and 125000m³ and

2004 138000 m³ capacities later became standard until recently that 153500 m³ vessel is just
due for completion at the end of 2004.

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Cargo containment systems

Integral tanks  Membrane tanks
– forms a structural  – non‐self‐
parts of the ship supporting tanks

Semi‐membrane Independent tanks
tanks – self‐supporting 
– non‐self‐ tanks, not forming 
supporting tanks part of ship’s hull

Independent tanks:
• Type A
– based on classical ship structure design rules
• Gravity tank type:
design vapor pressure < 0.7 bar
• Type B
– based on first‐principle analyses and model tests
• Gravity tank type:
design vapor pressure < 0.7 bar
• Type C
– pressure vessels
• Code specific min. design vapor pressure

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Cargo Containment System Selection:

Moss spherical 
tank, Gaz Transport 

Three main 
design
self‐supporting  Technigaz (GTT) 
prismatic  Membrane tank 
membrane  –GTT Mark III, 
system (IHI‐SPB)  GTT No96, GTT 
from IHI, Japan CS1[6]  

Kvaerner‐Moss
1.)Moss Type
Containment
• The Moss type containment system is the
design emblematic of the LNG carrier.
• The tops of the spheres protrude above the
hull making the ships instantly recognizable.
• Moss Maritime of Norway‐Kvaerner, now a
unit of Italy's ENI SAIPEM, develops 88000 m³
Moss spherical containment system in 1971.

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Design
• The hull and tanks are independent.
• The structural transition joint equatorial ring
acts as the gradient to allow use of normal
vessel building steel in hull.
• Largest dome built with Aluminium alloy and
self‐supporting tanks are arranged inside the
hull.
• Insulation is of Sipro or Kawasaki type and
annular space between sphere and insulation is
fed with nitrogen.

• As a result, the liquid cargo acts

on the self‐supporting tanks
and not directly on the
insulation material. The
spherical shape means that the
sloshing forces on the tank wall
will be much smaller for the
Moss system.
• Now almost half the LNG
vessels in the world are of the
spherical independent tank
type.

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2.) Technigaz (GTT) Membrane tank

GTT Mark III containment system

• It is not connected to the hull hence no fatigue strength required for the
membranes.
• The tank built with corrugated stainless steel and it uses reinforced
polyurethane foam inside plywood boxes as the insulation material.
• 1.2 mm thick primary membrane and secondary membrane made of glass cloth
with Aluminium foil in‐between.

• The corrugation absorbs the

thermal expansion and contraction.
• There is over 120 kilometres of
weld inside the tanks to ensure
safety

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Stainless Steel 
Membrane

Triplex 
Membrane

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GTT No.96 containment system

• a cryogenic liner directly supported by the ship's inner hull.
• This liner includes two complete identical and independent metallic
membranes, which made of Invar .
• The one in contact with the cargo is called “primary membrane”, the
second is “secondary membrane”.
• These membranes act as dual barriers protecting the hull from
exposure to the low‐temperature cargo.
• The insulation, filled with expanded silicone‐treated perlite, is
internally strengthened to withstand high‐impact pressures and to
absorb the energy from the liquid motions and pressure head.

• The insulation, filled with

expanded silicone‐treated perlite,
is internally strengthened to
withstand high‐impact pressures
• The insulation spaces are inserted
with nitrogen and equipped with
detectors.
• The tanks are independently and
mechanically secured to the
double hull by means of studs and
couplers specially designed for
thermal insulation.

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Tongue Assembly Detail

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GTT CS1 containment system

• a new membrane containment system developed by GTT, combines

the best features of the Mark III and No96 membrane systems.
• a cryogenic liner directly supported by the ship's inner hull.
• uses reinforced polyurethane foam insulation and two membranes.
• The system has been rationalized to make assembly easier and is
prefabricated allowing quick assembly on board.
• offers increased strength, faster fabrication, and a cost reduction of
15 per cent compared to existing systems.

• the first one 0.7 mm thick

made of Invar (low thermal
contraction coefficient metal
and high nickel content), the
second made of a composite
aluminium‐glass fibre called
triplex.

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Tongue Assembly Detail Triplex Membrane

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3) Self-supporting Prismatic
Membrane System (IHI-
SPB)
• IHI prismatic containment system, is unlike
the Moss type spherical tank, the prismatic
tanks of a membrane LNG vessel are fully
integrated into the hull, which serves as
the supporting structure.
• The cargo containment system is fitted
inside the tanks, between the inner hull
and the liquid cargo.

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Best Choice:
• Self‐supporting Prismatic Membrane
System (IHI‐SPB)

WHY??
Sloshing resistant containment system
Large flat deck space for topside
equipment
Basis is stainless steel
Proven track record: 15 years trading in
the North Pacific (Aluminium, ~70k)

Spherical
No filling restrictions
× Limited deck‐space
× Sub‐optimal hull utilization

Membrane
Flat deck‐space
× Full hull utilization
× Filling restrictions

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Liquefaction Technology:
Technology
• Dual N₂ expansion cycle
• Proven design and functionality:
 2 small‐scale onshore liquefaction plants
 small‐scale re‐liquefaction plants for large LNG carriers
 peak‐shaving plants use N2 expander cycle

Selection criteria
• Inherently safe
• Minimum space, weight and equipment
• Simple controllability
• Quick start up & shut down
• Robust against ship motions
• Insensitive to large feedgas range
• Cheap refrigerant

Conversion of LNG Carriers to FLNG

LNG Carrier that has been upgraded and fitted for Floating LNG 
service

• Floating Storage (FSO)
• Floating Regasification (FSRU)
• Floating Liquefaction (FLNG)

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Regas Conversion

Golar Freeze MOSS: 129,000 m³ Converted to FSRU

Liquefaction Conversion

Aquarius Class MOSS: 126,000 m³ 0.5 MTPA with Pre‐Treatment

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Liquefaction Conversion

Arctic Spirit SPB: 89,000 m³ 0.6 MTPA FLNG with Pre‐Treatment

Conceptual Layout of LNG FPSO

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Technical Challenges
in FLNG:

Motion
Motion of Production Vessel
• Motion is a consequence of the design and size of
the vessel, as well as the sea conditions.
• During transit of the vessel to the production
location, the ship motion will subject the installed
equipment to mechanical stresses.
• At the production location, the operators will
attempt to maintain the vessel steady and level,
but stability control systems cannot eliminate all
vessel motion.

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• Process equipment may experience

reduced performance due to liquid‐
vapour mal‐distribution
• liquid sloshing may cause additional
mechanical stresses.
• However, the equipment must be
designed and constructed to survive the
extreme forces
• Higher strength materials may provide a
benefit for equipment design.

Sloshing:
• Sloshing can be defined as a
dynamic load acting over a
tank structure as a result of
the motion of a fluid with
free surface confined inside
the tank.

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• The increasing traffic of LNG

tankers and its growing
capacities have imposed the
need to accurately predict the
loads acting on the structure
by using valid methods for the
estimation of sloshing effects.

Weight and Space Limits

• The plot space aboard an FLNG will be at a premium.
• Processes with reduced equipment count and size will be a benefit.
• The use of large diameter piping should be minimized.
• Weight is a concern because efficient and cost‐effective construction
techniques place equipment into modules, which have structural and
weight limitations.
• Weight eventually affects the overall vessel size due to buoyancy and
centre of gravity considerations.

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Corrosion
• Any shipboard equipment
installed on open decks will be
subject to salt water spray.
• Uniform corrosion and stress
corrosion cracking of piping and
equipment are obvious
concerns.

• Cryogenic equipment for land‐

based LNG plants is often
constructed from aluminium
which reduces weight.
• For FLNG, exposed equipment
must use other materials, such
as chloride resistant stainless
steel

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Flammable Components
• The most common liquefaction
process currently used for land‐
based LNG plants is the C3MR
process.
• Refrigerant components are
typically readily available by
extraction from the natural gas
feed stream.

• For FLNG, some Owners have expressed concerns with the necessary
inventory of flammable components in the refrigeration loops and
associated storage.
• In particular, propane is considered the greatest concern because of
its high volatility combined with its dense vapour which can
accumulate at low elevations, in hull spaces.
• As a result, refrigeration processes which minimize or eliminate either
propane or all flammable components are of interest for some FLNG
operators.

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Specific Design Challenges for Floating

LNG

Topside Design Cargo Containment System

• Restricted footprint available • Requirement for unrestricted partial

• Motions and accelerations filling
• Marinisation of process equipment • Offshore maintenance (No dry‐docking)

Offloading

Tandem 
Side by 
offloading 
side 
(dedicated 
offloading
ships)

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• Ship‐to‐ship transfer
• A innovative solution to be
developed for bunkering
operation

Challenges of the FLNG project :

• cryogenic storage tanks that are tolerant to sloshing

• topsides that include gas pre‐treatment and liquefaction processing
equipment
• ship‐to‐ship offloading equipment suitable for LNG transfer at sea.

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ANTI-SLOSHING STRUCTURE FOR LNG

CARGO TANK

Technical Field

• includes an anti‐sloshing bulkhead, which partitions a space in the

LNG cargo tank into two parts, that is, left and right spaces, and a
stool part, which fastens the anti‐sloshing bulkhead to the inner wall
of the LNG cargo tank, thus mitigating a sloshing phenomenon, in
which LNG moves to the left and right in the LNG cargo tank.

• Generally, LNG carriers store LNG at a cryogenic temperature

(approximately ‐163⁰C) in LNG cargo tanks and carry the LNG.

• cargo tanks must have special structures, in consideration of the

problem of the brittle fracture of a carrier bodies due to the
cryogenic temperature of the LNG.

• The term 'special structure' means a structure for insulating and

isolating cryogenic LNG from structural members of the carrier
body or cargo tank.

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• Typically, as the special structures,

membrane structures, in which
barriers having superior low‐
temperature resistance are
provided in the structural
members of the carrier body and
insulating substances are
interposed between the barriers,
have been widely used.

FIG. 1 : A typical LNG carrier having 
cargo tanks

Cross sectional 
view showing a 
conventional 
membrane type 
cargo tank.

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Technical Problem:
• Accordingly, the present invention has
been made keeping in mind the above
problems occurring in the prior art, and
an object of the present invention is to
provide an anti‐sloshing LNG cargo tank
that can be applied to an LNG carrier or
an FSRU

Technical Solution:

zigzag‐ stainless 
corrugated  steel or 
The anti‐sloshing  shape aluminium
bulkhead must be :
plate type 
partition.

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1 3
cargo tank is 
partitioned into  can be applied to 
the left and right  FRSU, which 
spaces by the anti‐ requires a very 
sloshing bulkhead  large cargo tank.
and the stool part

Anti-sloshing
LNG cargo tank 2
mitigates a 
4
a pump tower, 
sloshing  which discharges 
according to the phenomenon,  LNG outside the 
thus making it  cargo tank, can be 
present possible to  directly mounted 
construct a very  to the anti‐sloshing 
invention: large cargo tank. bulkhead,

2 MAJOR PROJECTS:

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Shell's Prelude in
Australia's Browse
Basin
(which is expected to on
stream in 2017)

KEY FACTS
• The Prelude facility will be 488m long
and 74m wide
• It will stay moored in water 250m
deep for 25 years
• First production in 2017 of at least 3.6
million tonnes of LNG per year
• It will create 1000jobs and add $45
billion to the economy

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Malaysian state‐owned
PETRONAS' facility
(will operate at the Kanowit gas
field offshore Malaysia and
expects to produce its first
volumes in 2015.)

PETRONAS
FLNG:

Objective:
• To build Floating LNG facility of 1 million Metric
Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) ) with Feed Gas of 180
MMscfd and LNG Storage Capacity of 173,000m³
on newly built floater.

• To enable monetization of stranded gas fields in

offshore Malaysia

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PETRONAS FLNG
PROJECT:
• Petronas is set to become the owner and
operator of the world’s first FLNG facility.,
following the official steel‐cutting ceremony for
vessel hull in South Korea.

• The event signifies a major milestone for the

project to proceed to its construction phase and
meet its commissioning schedule in 2015.

Technip awarded a key engineering

contract for a FLNG in Malaysia
• Technip and DSME has been awarded by PETRONAS and MISC Berhad a front‐end
engineering design contract for a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit.

• This strategic project combines technologies and know‐how from Technip’s three
business segments:
 Onshore process of natural gas liquefaction
 Offshore floating facilities
 Subsea infrastructures

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Offshore floating facilities

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Subsea infrastructures

Petronas and Shell in the FLNG race

This Petronas FLNG will be designed with:

• 1.2 million t/y maximun capacity

• 300 meter long and 60 meter wide
• The Petronas FLNG facility will be located
offshore Malaysia
• Petronas expects to run its FLNG in 2015.

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The Shell Prelude FLNG, is designed with:

• 3.6 million t/y maximum capacity

• 488 meter long and 74 meter wide
• The Shell Prelude FLNG is designed and
executed by Technip‐Samsung Heavy
Industry Consortium.
• Shell Prelude FLNG will be located offshore
Australia.
• The Shell Prelude FLNG should come on
stream in 2017.

• Shell Prelude FLNG is about twice

bigger, while the Petronas FLNG should
come on stream two years earlier.

• Shell and Petronas have just given the

start of the boat race in Floating LNG.

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DNV to Class Petronas FLNG, Malaysia

• DNV has been awarded the contract to
class the Petronas LNG FPSO (FLNG).
The unit will be built by DSME in Korea
and is destined for the Kanowit field
offshore Sarawak, Malaysia. It is
expected to be the world’s first floating
liquefaction unit in operation when
completed in 2015.

• The Petronas FLNG will be 300m

long and 60m wide and will be
moored 180km from shore. It is
designed to produce 1.2 million
tonnes a year (mtpa) of LNG,
boosting Malaysia’s total LNG
production capacity from 25.7
mpta to 26.9 mpta.

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Western Australia Release New Oil, Gas

Exploration Leases
• PERTH‐‐Western Australia is inviting bids for six petroleum exploration leases,
including onshore blocks, as interest grows in the state's potential tight and shale
gas resources.
• The new acreage release includes areas covering more than 21,000 square
kilometers across the Mid West, Pilbara and Eucla regions of the state.
• The Perth Basin is also regarded as a potential source of commercial shale and
tight gas.
• Western Australia is estimated to contain 300 trillion cubic feet of potential shale
and tight gas, according to the state government.

2012 Overview
• In 2012, there were 12 wells drilled and 10 seismic surveys carried out in Western
Australian State Waters and onshore.
• The greatest activity was in the Canning Basin where eight new field wildcats and
one appraisal well were drilled.
• One well, Evandra 2, was drilled in the onshore Perth Basin by AWE Limited, and
two development wells, Bambra 10H ST3 and Barrow G84B MB were spudded in
the Carnarvon Basin, by Apache and Chevron respectively.
• The surveys comprised three 3D seismic surveys, two 2D seismic surveys, two
geochemical and one each of gravity, aeromagnetic and electronic spin resonance
surveys.

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Major oil
discovery in
outback South
Australia

PHOTO: Oil explorations in the Arckaringa Basin in South Australia's 
far north. (Linc Energy)

PHOTO: Company map shows the site of the discovery, which could yield up to 233 billion barrels of oil. (Linc Energy)

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Oil shale discovery in South Australia

• Linc Energy has discovered oil shale in the Arckaringa Basin of South 
Australia . 
• The Arck 1 well was drilled into the Stuart Range formation, 
transecting an oil shale reservoir that measures between 406 feet and 
124 feet deep and spans some 284,000 acres. 
• This is a major discovery, and will likely prove extremely profitable for 
Linc and South Australia.

Major Australian Oil & Gas Exploration

and Production Companies
• Woodside Energy Limited
Gas exploration and production company and one of the world's largest 
leading producers of liquified natural gas (LNG).
• Oil Search Limited
Oil Search is Papua New Guinea's (PNG's ) largest oil and gas producer .
• Santos Limited
Santos is one of Australia's leading oil and gas exploration and production 
companies, with high quality assets and projects throughout Australia and 
the Asia‐Pacific region.
• Chevron Australia
Chevron is the largest holder of natural gas resources in Australia and these 
assets help meet the country's and Asia's growing need for energy.

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• BHP Billiton Petroleum
BHP Billiton Petroleum is a key player in the global oil and gas 
industry.
• INPEX
INPEX is a worldwide oil and gas exploration and production company 
involved in more than 70 projects across 26 countries. Their projects 
in Australia and the Timor Sea include the Ichthys Project, Van Gogh, 
Bayu‐Undan and Darwin LNG.

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