Bumi Armada unveils new FLNG concept in response to rising gas demand

Malaysia’s Bumi Armada has received the blessing of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in the form of a recent approval in principle (AIP) for a new floating liquified natural gas (FLNG) infrastructure solution, which is at the heart of what is believed to be an innovative way of responding to the growing demand for low-emission gas by bringing LNG to the market in a fast-track, cost-effective, flexible, and reliable manner.

According to Bumi Armada, this FLNG concept incorporates a newly built barge-based liquefaction unit and the utilization of existing LNG carriers for storage. The Malaysian player has developed the barge-based liquefaction unit for a standardized LNG design capacity based on having a modularized and repeatable compact design.

Miguel Hernandez, ABS Senior Vice President for Global Offshore, remarked: “We are pleased to support Bumi Armada in their ongoing efforts to offer safe and reliable LNG storage solutions. Our recent AIP for their innovative FLNG concept is a testament to our continuing collaboration with Bumi Armada and we look forward to supporting further development of this concept.”

Furthermore, Bumi Armada explains that this concept allows for a phased approach to deploying parallel liquefaction units to match any required capacity for the monetization of gas, eliminating the need for “large and costly” onshore infrastructure. The company underlines that the reuse of LNG carriers is anticipated to provide “a safe and quality option” for LNG storage.

In addition, Bumi Armada is convinced that this streamlined approach will yield substantial time and cost savings. Therefore, the Malaysian firm sees this FLNG concept as “a promising solution” to the pressing challenge of meeting the growing demand for cleaner, gas-based energy with a lower carbon footprint.

Gary Christenson, Bumi Armada’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We are committed to bringing innovative and sustainable solutions that can accelerate the delivery of cleaner energy. This technology is a testament to our strong commitment towards providing the best solutions that unlock the pathway to achieve net-zero by 2050, which is in Bumi Armada’s decarbonization agenda.”

Bumi Armada has recently inked a non-binding agreement with PT Pertamina International Shipping, a shipping and marine logistics arm of Pertamina, and PT Davenergy Mulia Perkasa (DMP), an Indonesian natural gas trading company. This enables the trio to pool resources for the development and commercialization of LNG from multiple fields in Indonesia.

As a result, Bumi Armada and Pertamina International Shipping are expected to design, engineer, construct, install, commission, hook up, and operate an FLNG facility, along with an LNG carrier to transport LNG to consumers that do not have clean energy sources nearby.