UAE’s energy giant Adnoc is looking to order liquefied natural gas carriers for its planned LNG terminal in Al Ruwais, according to shipbuilding sources.
Sources told LNG Prime that Adnoc recently issued a tender inviting offers from yards in China and South Korea for six firm plus four optional standard-size LNG carrier newbuilds.
The vessels will feature the latest technologies and GTT’s Mark III Flex+ and NO96 Super+ membrane systems are being considered.
The sources said that the LNG carriers are expected to serve Adnoc’s second LNG terminal in Al Ruwais, but they did not provide any further information.
Adnoc Logistics & Services, a unit of Adnoc, is already working to renew its fleet of LNG carriers and it has six 175,000-cbm vessels on order at China’s Jiangnan Shipyard worth more than $1.2 billion.
The firm will take delivery of these vessels in 2025 and 2026.
These “LNG Jumbo” dual-fuel carriers will feature GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane system and a partial reliquefaction system.
Adnoc L&S’s existing fleet of Moss-type, steam turbine LNG carriers serves the company’s 6 mtpa LNG terminal on Das Island.
Al Ruwais LNG terminal
Last year, Adnoc announced it will build its second LNG terminal in Al Ruwais.
The firm previously planned to construct the facility in Fujairah and is yet to take a final investment decision on the project.
When completed, the project, which consists of two 4.8 mtpa LNG liquefaction trains with a total capacity of 9.6 mtpa, will more than double Adnoc’s LNG production capacity.
Last month, Adnoc signed a heads of agreement with a unit of Chinese independent gas distributor ENN to supply the latter with 1 mtpa of LNG for a period of 15 years from its planned terminal in Al Ruwais.
This is the first Ruwais LNG supply agreement.
The deliveries are expected to start in 2028, upon commencement of the facility’s commercial operations.