"K" Line and JGC develop a new concept design of FLNG hull
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) and JGC Corporation (JGC) jointly developed a new concept of FLNG (floating LNG) Hull and have received Approval in Principle (AIP) from American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), in which the LNG storage tanks of existing LNG carriers are to be utilized, according to “K” Line's release.
FLNG is suitable for the development of offshore natural gas fields, especially small and medium-sized gas fields where onshore LNG plants are not profitable. FLNG also reduces the cost of laying subsea pipelines and enables it to be diverted to other sea areas after the natural gas field is depleted. There are many small and medium-sized offshore natural gas fields around the world. With the increase in energy demand especially in emerging countries and the shift to natural gas as low-carbon fuel, there are already several FLNG projects that are presently underway mainly in Asia and Africa.
Supported by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “K” LINE and JGC have developed a new type of FLNG Hull. This FLNG Hull pursues the following effects by transferring and utilizing the spherical (Moss type) tanks from the existing LNG carriers of the earlier generation as an LNG storage facility which is FLNG’s core function.
-Reduce Hull construction costs by eliminating the need to build new LNG storage tanks, which are expensive and require special techniques
-Increase the candidates of shipyards that can build the Hull, thereby shortening the lead time and reducing the construction cost
