Eni Awards Hilong Offshore Engineering Phase 2 Contract for Congo LNG Project

Italy’s energy giant Eni has recently announced the selection of China’s Hilong Group’s Hilong Offshore Engineering to manage the second phase of offshore transportation and installation works for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project off the coast of Congo, Africa.

Hilong Offshore Engineering secured the bid for the second phase of the project, bringing in 400 million RMB ($54.76 million) to its total order backlog of over 4 billion RMB ($547.55 million). This contract adds to the nine projects the Chinese company has secured since 2024, totaling over 2.6 billion RMB ($355.91 million) in contract value from internationally renowned oil and gas giants.

Congo LNG Project Overview

The Congo LNG project is the country’s first natural gas liquefaction project, utilizing the gas resources of the Marine XII project with two floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) units stationed at the Nenè and Litchendjili fields. The FLNG Tango is currently operational, with the second unit, Nguya, under construction and expected to be online by the end of 2025.

Once Nguya is operational, the Congo LNG project will reach an overall LNG production capacity of 3 million tons per year or approximately 4.5 billion cubic meters per year from 2025.

Offshore Development Process

The offshore development process involves extracting natural gas from subsea wells and processing it in FLNG units to create LNG. The FLNG units chill the gas to -162° C (-260° F), significantly reducing its volume for easier transportation.

Recent deals awarded for the Congo LNG project include contracts for transportation and installation, marine warranty survey services, and marine services, highlighting the project’s progress and growth.

Hilong Group’s Statement

Hilong Group expressed excitement about collaborating with Eni Group once again, emphasizing their commitment to performance improvement, project execution capabilities, and competitiveness in the market. The Chinese firm aims to enhance its technological and management capabilities to provide safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly engineering services.