Hilli Episeyo FLNG

Image Source : Golar LNG - FLNG Hilli Episeyo

Location : Offshore Kribi, Cameroon

Hilli Episeyo is not only the second ever Floating LNG platform to enter operation, but also the first of its kind utilising a converted FLNG Vessel. The Golar LNG’s FLNG concept offers an easy option to monetise small parcels of gas without building mammoth LNG plants.

Hilli – a 1975 built 125,000 cubic meter LNG carrier, underwent massive transformation at the Keppel yard in Singapore in 2015, at a cost of $1.2 billion. The 294 m long floating plant is moored 14 km off the coast of Kribi in Cameroon. The plant is designed to produce 2.4 MMTPA of LNG, with a storage capacity of 125,000 cubic meter.

Natural gas is sourced from Perenco’s Sanaga and Ebomé gas fields. In addition to exporting LNG, the plant will also supply 30,000 tons of domestic gas and 5,000 barrels of condensate daily.¹ The plants entire production is already covered under commercial contract with Gazprom Marketing & Trading (GMT) for 8 years.

With production starting at Hilli Episeyo, approximately 100 new jobs are expected to be created.² The first cargo from the plant was dispatched on the 138,000 cubic meter Galicia Spirit in May 2018, making Cameroon the 20^th LNG exporting country in the world.³

OWNERSHIP (Equity %)

Golar LNG	NA
Yemen Gas Company	NA
Société Nationale Des Hydrocarbures	NA

General Data

Estimated Capital Cost (USD)	1.2 B
Plant Type	FLNG
Plant Stage	Operating
Final Investment Decision (FID) Year	2014
FEED Contractor	NA
EPC Contractor	Black & Veatch Keppel Offshore & Marine
No. of Trains / capacity	4 Trains / 0.6 MMTPA each
Production Start Year	2018
Products	LNG
Gas Type	Non-associated Gas (NAG)

Technical Data

Cooling Media	Seawater
Liquefaction Technology	Black & Veatch PRICO® Single MR
Refrigeration Train Details:
Four (4) SMR Trains
Driver	GE PGT25+G4 DLE Aeroderivative Gas Turbine
LP/HP Mixed Refrigerant (MR) Compressor	2BCL BHGE (Nuovo Pignone) Radially Split Centrifugal Compressor
Power Generation	2 x Peter Brotherhood 33MW extraction condensing steam turbine generators + 2 x Rolls Royce Bergen B35:40V20AG Natural Gas Engine Generators

Refrigeration Train Configuration

Key Facts

In 2008, Golar began operations on the world’s first Floating Storage Regassification Unit (FSRU) – the Golar Spirit. In 2017, Hilli Episeyo became the world’s first converted floating LNG facility as well as the world’s second ever FLNG operation.⁴
14-15 million man-hours and 4300 people on board contributed to the conversion of Hilli Episeyo FLNG. The facility includes 1200 km of cabling and 250 MW of power on board.⁴
The conversion of Hilli Episeyo employed the Black & Veatch (B&V) PRICO® process, which uses a single mixed refrigerant technology, small enough to be mounted on a marine vessel.⁴
Hilli Episeyo FLNG is not only the world’s first converted FLNG vessel, but also the first FLNG project in Africa. The technology offers a practical solution to the geographic, technical and economic limitations of developing natural gas resources located in marginal fields⁵
In May 2018, Cameroon became the 20^th LNG exporting nation, as Hilli Episeyo dispatched its first cargo onboard ‘Galicia Spirit’. Two LNGC’s have been chartered for the export of Cameroon’s LNG, with the 146,000 m³ ‘Golar Maria’ alternating duties.⁶
The first marine-mounted B&V PRICO® process was successfully tested in 2016 in Nantong, China.⁷
Hilli Episeyo started operations in March 2018 and contributed to increasing Cameroon’s gas production to 233.9 million m³ in January-April 2018. This represents a 90.2% increase.⁸