Regional LNG: PETRONAS?s floating LNG facility makes first production

By Romel S. gurky

PFLNG SATU

Malaysia?s PETRONAS said its first floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, called PFLNG SATU, has achieved an industry breakthrough with the successful production of its first drop of LNG from the Kanowit gas field, offshore Sarawak on December 5, 2016.

The company said in a statement on Friday that the operational milestone marks a decade long journey for PETRONAS since conceptualizing a floating LNG facility to maximize the potential of remote and stranded gas reserves to deliver a game changer in the global LNG business.

PETRONAS? Acting Vice President LNG Assets, Development & Production Adnan Zainal Abidin said in the statement the first drop of LNG from PFLNG SATU has realized the technological aspirations of the company to tap hydrocarbons and produce LNG close to the source.

?At 365 meters long and with 22 modular systems, PFLNG SATU is an engineering marvel that brings together the liquefaction, production, storage and offloading processes of LNG to the offshore gas field. We have successfully stretched the limits of our abilities with floating LNG technology to maintain our technical edge as a key LNG supplier,? said Adnan.

PFLNG SATU reached its final stages of commissioning and startup with the introduction of gas from the KAKG-A central processing platform at the Kanowit gas field on November 14, 2016. The gas is treated and liquefied via its nitrogen-based liquefaction unit ? the heart of PFLNG SATU, and processed into the first drop of LNG.

With a processing capacity of 1.2 million tons per annum (mtpa), operating at water depths between 70 meters to 200 meters deep, PFLNG SATU is expected to lift its first cargo and achieve commercial operations in the first quarter of 2017.

PETRONAS said the floating LNG facility will grow the company? global LNG portfolio as a leader in FLNG technology and enhance its reputation as a preferred and reliable LNG supplier.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak