State-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corp is joining forces with Golar LNG to install a floating LNG production unit in Nigeria.
NNPC said via social media on Wednesday that its CEO Mele Kyari signed a memorandum of understanding with Golar’s chief Karl Staubo during a brief ceremony in Abuja.
The Nigerian firm said the deal is part of its efforts to deepen Nigeria’s domestic gas utilization and enhance gas export, but it did not provide any additional information regarding the project.
Nigeria currently exports LNG via the 22 mtpa Bonny Island LNG plant, which is being upgraded with a seventh train with a capacity of 8 mtpa.
Nigeria LNG is a venture compromising of NNPC (49 percent), Shell (25.6 percent), TotalEnergies (15 percent), and Eni (10.4 percent).
The country has no floating LNG production projects, but Nigeria’s UTM Offshore is working to install Nigeria’s first floating LNG producer. NNPC is collaborating with UTM Offshore on this project as well.
Golar’s FLNG plans
Golar said in February it secured an option to acquire a 148,000-cbm Moss-type LNG carrier which it aims to convert to a floating LNG producer.
Prior to that, the LNG firm led by Tor Olav Trøim said in November last year it ordered long-lead items worth about $300 million for its third FLNG conversion project on the back of a growing opportunity set for new FLNG growth projects.
Golar placed orders for items targeted for a 3.5 mtpa Mark II FLNG, that can also be interchangeably used on its other two FLNG designs.
The company owns the 2.4 mtpa Hilli FLNG located in Cameroon and the 2.5 mtpa Gimi FLNG currently under conversion at Singapore’s Keppel Shipyard.
Gimi is expected to start serving BP’s Tortue FLNG project offshore Mauritania and Senegal under a 20-year charter deal in the fourth quarter of 2023.