ABS gives nod for Hyundai’s Ready-to-Convert FPSO hull

ABS, a provider of classification and technical services to the global offshore industry, granted Approval in Principle (AIP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) hull design.

“The Newbuilding Conversion FPSO hull design can be built for about half the cost as compared to a conventional FPSO hull,” says Jae-Eul Kim, HHI Senior Vice President, Shipbuilding Division.

“In the current difficult energy market, the competitive Ready-to-Convert FPSO hull, with AIP from ABS, offers a practical approach to floating production units—enabling stakeholders to take confident financial investment decisions.”

The design basis is storing 2 Mbbl of crude oil in the barge-shaped hull, applying mainly shipbuilding standards, and combining offshore production facility features, such as a 25-year lifetime without drydocking, and structural reinforcement for Topside structure installation.