SHI succeeds in developing a new generation of FLNG SENSE IV
4 min read
Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has accomplished a Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) design, potentially becoming “the world’s powerful FLNG.“
The independent design “SENSE IV” has succeeded in a recent empirical test, which further improves the SHI competitiveness in the FLNG construction sector and in the LNG industry chain generally.
“SENSE IV” to perform annual output of more than 2 million tons of LNG
Samsung Heavy Industries said on November 18 that it had successfully completed the demonstration test of “SENSE IV” at its R&D facility for LNG in the shipbuilding & offshore industry at Geoje Shipyard.
The empirical test commenced on November 16th, gathering ENI and Equinor, Golar LNG, Petronas, and other major LNG developers from around the world, as well as the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), French Bureau of Shipping (BV), Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (LR). All the parties attended the meeting and express strong interest in the innovation technology from SHI.
The natural gas liquefaction process is one of the main processes of FLNG known as the “offshore LNG plant”. Its technology is to separate the natural oil and gas extracted from the seabed, and then remove the liquid and solid impurities such as moisture and mercury in the natural gas.
Then to compressing and cooling natural gas to below minus 162 degrees process to make it liquid which can reduce its volume to 1/600 of that of gas. This technology is considered to be the core technology of the LNG industry that can enable long-distance, large-scale economic transportation of natural gas, thereby increasing global supply.
The “SENSE IV” developed by Samsung Heavy Industries is able to produce more than 2 million tons of LNG per year. Compared with the existing gas expansion liquefaction process, the electricity consumed to produce 1 ton of LNG can be reduced by up to 14%, which has higher energy efficiency.
Jiang Yongkui, Head of Offshore Engineering Division of Samsung Heavy Industries, said: “With the successful development and demonstration of’ SENSE IV’, the world’s major LNG developers have placed their trust in Samsung Heavy Industries’ products in the entire LNG industry chain, including natural gas production, transportation, storage, and supply. This will also be an opportunity for Samsung Heavy Industries to become an LNG total solution provider with EPC (design, procurement, construction) capabilities.”
Improving the competitiveness in FLNG sector
FLNG is a mobile composite complete set of equipment for producing, refining, storing, loading, and unloading LNG in a floating state at sea. As a production device from drilling to liquefaction, it does not require land liquefaction storage equipment or submarine pipelines, so it has the advantage of protecting the underwater ecosystem. It is reported that the world’s major LNG developers are actively discussing new FLNG investment projects.
Up to now, a total of 4 large FLNGs have been built and delivered around the world, of which Samsung Heavy Industries has built 3:
- The Mozambican “Coral-Sul” FLNG with a contract price of US$2.54 billion just delivered on November 15, and
- June 2017 The Shell “Prelude” FLNG with a contract price of US$3.6 billion was completed, and
- The Petronas “PFLNG DUA” FLNG with a contract price of US$1.5 billion was completed in February 2020.
The other one is the “PFLNG SATU” FLNG built by Daewoo Shipbuilding for Petronas with a contract price of US$800 million. It was delivered in May 2016 and is also the world’s first FLNG.
Samsung Heavy Industries successfully developed LNG liquefaction process to become the world’s most competitive FLNG
Prelude FLNG built for Shell is the world’s largest floating offshore unit and floating liquefied natural gas unit. The construction of Prelude FLNG started in 2012 and was undertaken by South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries. It is Samsung’s first FLNG project in the world. The project completed construction work at the end of June 2017 and left South Korea, with a cumulative cost of more than 17 billion U.S. dollars.
On November 15, the delivery and naming ceremony of the floating liquefied natural gas vessel (FLNG) for the Mozambique offshore Coral-Sul project was built by Samsung Heavy Industries. Samsung Heavy Industries is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of this FLNG and construction. The contract value is approximately 2.54 billion U.S. dollars.
A person from Samsung Heavy Industries said: “We have rich experience in the field of LNG-related equipment and can provide one-stop services such as design, procurement, deployment, and construction. The EPC (General Engineering Contracting) capability is considered to be the highest level in the global industry-this It seems to be the secret of our success in taking orders. Moreover, we have been constantly trying to improve the competitiveness of the entire LNG industry chain.”
Source eworldship
