Samsung Heavy Industries Launches FLNG Production Facility for Petronas

South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) recently celebrated the hull launching ceremony for a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production facility being constructed for Petronas, the Malaysian state-owned energy company.

The FLNG unit, named PFLNG Tiga, was commissioned by Petronas in December 2022 after a successful front-end engineering and design (FEED) tender process in 2021. SHI is collaborating with JGC Corporation on this project.

Measuring 281 meters in length, 64 meters in width, and 32 meters in depth, PFLNG Tiga is significantly larger than a soccer field and has a launching weight of around 50,000 tons.

Adif Zulkifli, Executive Vice President & CEO of Petronas’ Gas & Maritime Business, stated, “This FLNG will not only provide an optimized route for offshore gas development but also help enhance Malaysia’s position as a leader in low-carbon energy.”

Once operational in May 2027 off the coast of Sipitang Oil and Gas Complex in Sabah, Malaysia, PFLNG Tiga is expected to produce 2.1 million tonnes of gas per year.

Ahn Youngkyu, Head of Samsung Heavy Industries Marine Business Division, believes that PFLNG Tiga will set a new standard for similar units. He highlighted SHI’s competitiveness in the sector, having secured orders for five out of nine FLNGs ordered globally.

Following the hull launching, SHI will proceed with mooring the plant to the quay and conducting various manufacturing and installation tasks, including loading the hull interior, installing LNG storage tanks, upper-level plant equipment, and insulation work.

The most substantial challenge will involve installing a 40,000-ton facility on the topside. SHI and JGC aim to complete the manufacture of 11 modules, weighing between 2,000 and 7,000 tons, and the loading using a 9,000-ton offshore crane by February 2027.

In addition to this milestone, Petronas recently announced a new licensing round comprising five exploration blocks and three discovered resource opportunities (DROs).