PETRONAS has successfully launched the hull of its first floating liquefied natural gas (PFLNG 1) facility at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard in Okpo, South Korea.
The facility will be the world’s first floating LNG in operation, claims the company.
The PFLNG1 vessel, which is known as PFLNG SATU, will operate at Malaysia’s Kanowit gas field and will produce 1.2 million tonnes of LNG a year.
At the launching event, the 365m-long hull floated out of a dock and was anchored at a quayside of DSME shipyard, where the facility is being constructed.
The launch of the hull signifies the near-completion of the construction works that started in June 2013.
PETRONAS LNG projects, gas and power business vice-president and venture director Datuk Abdullah Karim said it is an achievement that the company launched the hull within a short time frame, following the keel laying process that began on 6 January.
"In addition, the project has also achieved more than 5.5 million total safe man-hours since the project commenced in March 2012, with no occurrence of loss time incidents at the project site," Karim said.
"PETRONAS is currently working closely with its strategic partners, Technip and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to ensure that the project is delivered safely, in accordance to project specification and quality, within cost and on schedule."
The PFLNG1 facility is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2015.
