Petronas kicks off first production from FLNG Satu after recent location change

Malaysia’s Petronas has recently achieved its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) drop by its floating LNG facility Petronas Floating LNG Satu (PFLNG Satu) at the Kebabangan cluster field, 90 kilometres offshore Sabah.

Operated by Kebabangan Petroleum Operating Company Sdn Bhd (KPOC), Kebabangan field is the second location for PFLNG Satu after its successful operation in Kanowit field, Sarawak. Namely, the FLNG unit was moved from the Kanowit field to Kebabangan cluster earlier this year.

SOFEC, a MODEC Group company, was in charge of the engineering, supply, and delivery of a mooring system – chains & anchors – for the Petronas’ FLNG Satu external turret.

In a statement on Tuesday, May 21 Petronas said that the introduction of first gas into the PFLNG Satu – done on May 4, 2019 – was achieved from Kebabangan field to the PFLNG Satu’s turret system via a 5-km flexible pipeline.

The beginning of a series of start-up activities included the cooling down of natural gas until the production of the first LNG drop on May 7, 2019, just three days after.

Petronas Vice President of LNG Asset, Zakaria Kasah, said: “We not only prove our concept of relocatable floating LNG facility, but we have also seamlessly achieved the first LNG drop in just 3 days after first gas in. This is indeed another proud moment and a great milestone for Petronas and the floating LNG industry.”

Designed for water-depth of between 70 meters and 200 meters and a processing capacity of 1.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) with 155 crew onboard, PFLNG Satu will support Petronas’ global LNG portfolio. The first LNG cargo delivery at the new field is expected in June 2019.