LNGC conversion completed for world’s first M-FSRU

GAS Entec, a subsidiary of AG&P, has completed the conversion of a LNG carrier for KARMOL into the world’s first Modular Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (M-FSRU).

GAS Entec converted a 125,000 cbm LNG carrier into an 84 mmscfd M-FSRU with the capacity to scale from 15 to 300 mmscfd per unit. The vessel will serve KARMOL, a joint-venture between Turkey’s Karpowership and Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).

According to AG&P, this M-FSRU is the world’s first modular floating LNG regasification terminal, delivering gas from LNG to Karpowership’s 236 MW floating power plant, the Karadeniz Powership Aysegul Sultan in Port Dakar. This floating complex will serve shore-based grids in Senegal.

The existing floating power plant previously used heavy fuel oil to meet about 15 per cent of the West African nation’s power demand. The conversion to LNG represents a significant achievement for Senegal’s ambition to be a leader in the energy transition.

For the KARMOL project, Gas Entec was responsible for the complete design including FEED, class approval and development, supply of regasification technology, project management, test and commissioning of essential regas equipment and systems and installation works for building the world’s first floating LNG M-FSRU.

The company  designed the marine-based M-FSRU LNG regasification terminal to include several innovations, such as:

• Scalability; Gas Entec’s patented RegasTainer technology offers flexibility to scale the capacity of the FSRU up and down from 15 to 300 mmscfd with minimized downtime, allowing the vessel to be repurposed as power requirements grow in a market.
• Low operation cost;
• Easy maintenance.

KARMOL board member Gokhan Kocak said: “This is a big moment for KARMOL and for Africa. With the successful completion of the M-FSRU, Senegal will be the first country in West Africa to transition to clean gas energy, replacing high emission fuels with LNG… We will reliably deliver re-gasified LNG to Karpowerships’ floating power barge and proudly pass along this clean energy in a commercially-compelling way to the amazing, high-growth country of Senegal.”

Chong-Ho Kwak, CEO of GAS Entec, said: “We are honored to have been asked to design and lead the conversion of the LNG carrier to a modular FSRU. We are very excited to deliver to Senegal this key clean floating, scalable terminal that operationalizes Karpowership’s Gas-to-Powership project, a leader in Africa and the world.”