Classification society ABS granted approval in principle (AIP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries’ (HHI) deepwater floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) hull design.
According to South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy, the newbuilding conversion FLNG hull design for offshore application can be constructed for about 80 percent less than the cost of a conventional FLNG hull.
It is based on LNG carrier designs combined with the requirements for FLNG production, such as structural reinforcements to take topside module load and a hull designed to allow up to 25 years operation without dry-docking.
A low cost near shore FLNG hull was previously developed and achieved ABS approval in principle in 2017.
The same team from HHI and ABS has now worked to deliver this harsh environment deepwater hull to meet increasing market demand.
The design features a barge-shaped hull, a GTT Mark III containment system with storage for about 192,000-cbm, and provisions to accommodate an internal turret and 45,000-ton of topside modules to deliver 2.5 MTPA of LNG.