Subsea World News reports on a Shell project that is setting records for Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facilities. According to the source, the Prelude station will feature a 100-meter tall turret, recently constructed in Dubai, that is now being shipped to Geoje, South Korea, where the rest of Prelude is currently being built.
As a key structural part of Prelude, the turret will help anchor the facility in its eventual resting place off the northwestern coast of Australia, where it will be used to provide fuel to ships after processing gas at local fields. The turret is key because of the weather hazards and threats that the mobile Prelude facility is likely to encounter.
The article quotes Shell's Projects and & Technology Director Matthias Bischel on the possibilities of the facility once it has been completed. The company clearly hopes that it will set a standard for offshore engineers to take notice of once Prelude has been completed and launched.
"Prelude FLNG combines our many years of experience in shipping and in managing complex LNG and offshore projects," Bischel said. "It's great to see our innovative designs and technologies become a reality as we reach significant project milestones like this."
This facility is being constructed in a Samsung shipyard, designed to be placed in one location for as many as 25 years and it will be nearly 490 meters long by completion. It is forecast to produce more than 3.5 million tons per year in that time. The gas will be chilled onboard before being shipped.
Oilfield insurance traditionally applies to certain locations, but the capabilities of a project this ambitious have implications for future developments.