PETRONAS’ first floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, 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 5 December 2016.
The operational milestone marks a decade long journey for PETRONAS since conceptualising a floating LNG facility to maximise 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 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 metres 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 14 November 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 tonnes per annum (mtpa), operating at water depths between 70 metres to 200 metres deep, PFLNG SATU is expected to lift its first cargo and achieve commercial operations in the first quarter of 2017.The floating LNG facility will grow PETRONAS’ global LNG portfolio as a leader in FLNG technology and enhance its reputation as a preferred and reliable LNG supplier.
