Yinson Production’s carbon capture-endowed FPSO weeks away from reaching its destination

Malaysia’s Yinson Production, a subsidiary of Kuala Lumpur-based energy infrastructure and technology company Yinson, is roughly a month away from welcoming its floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel to Angolan waters. The unit comes with carbon capture technology to decarbonize operations.

Two years after the Malaysian giant won a $5.7 billion contract with Azule Energy for the FPSO Agogo in February 2023, a grand naming and sail-away ceremony was held on February 20, 2025, at Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry (Shanghai) Shipyard in Shanghai, China. 

This vessel, described as the first of its kind with a post-combustion carbon capture pilot system to curb the carbon footprint from operations, left the Chinese shipyard on March 3, 2025, to go to the Lu Hua Shan Anchorage, where it was due to undergo deepwater testing for about two weeks.

Yinson Production has confirmed that the FPSO is now en route to Angola, where it is expected to arrive in mid-May to start its 15-year assignment at the Agogo field. Azule Energy has the option of prolonging the vessel’s stay for up to five more years. In the meantime, the Malaysian company presented a model of the FPSO Agogo to the Angolan player this week in Luanda.

Per Dyberg, Yinson Production’s Project Director, led the presentation alongside Jose Ferreira, Angola Country Manager, and Jansen Chua, Project Contracts Manager. The firm’s team handed over the model to Azule Energy’s leadership team, including CEO Adriano Mongini, Development Projects Director Alberto Lancia, Agogo Integrated WH Development Manager Elisabetta Boi, and FPSO WP Section Lead Ciro Farricelli.

“This event symbolises the close collaboration and shared commitment between Yinson Production and Azule Energy in developing the Agogo FPSO, one of the most advanced FPSO vessels in the world. We are excited about the next chapter and look forward to helping secure energy for Angola,” highlighted the Malaysian player.

The FPSO Agogo is part of the Agogo Integrated West Hub project that aims to develop two discoveries in Block 15/06, Agogo and Ndungu. The unit is scheduled to start operations by the end of 2025, more than six months before the original start-up date. The Agogo deepwater greenfield development lies around 20 kilometers west of the FPSO N’Goma (West Hub), which has been active since November 2014. 

The FPSO Agogo’s low-carbon integrated solutions and energy efficiency initiatives encapsulate combined cycle power generation as one of the first units ever installed onboard an FPSO, capable of significantly reducing overall emissions and minimizing the environmental footprint.

Seen as being equipped with the world’s first CCS unit on an FPSO, capable of reducing post-combustion emissions, this vessel is said to sport advanced electrification, digital automation, and a seawater-driven turbine generator, alongside a vapor recovery unit and closed flaring philosophy implemented to eliminate routine flaring.

“These technologies will significantly reduce the project’s environmental footprint, aligning with goals for energy transition and diversification of the national energy mix,” emphasized Azule Energy.

Yinson Production is keen on pursuing technology that aligns with its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030 and net zero by 2050. The firm is convinced that carbon-reducing technologies onboard the FPSO Agogo will cut carbon emissions by up to 27%.

Given its belief in the importance of CCS to reach decarbonization goals, the company made a strategic investment in Ionada, acknowledging the potential its carbon capture technology holds as a tool to decarbonize FPSO operations.

In addition, Yinson Production bolstered its decarbonization toolbox by acquiring the Norway-based Stella Maris CCS business.