Golar has signed a heads of terms with Nigeria’s NNPC for joint development of gas fields using floating LNG producers, expanding on their deal signed in April this year. The firm is also expecting its Gimi FLNG to leave the yard in Singapore next month.
State-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC) announced in April it is joining forces with Golar for FLNG developments.
After that, Golar said in May that the memorandum has a 5-year duration, with both parties’ ambition to explore potential for multiple FLNG projects to be deployed on proven stranded and associated gas fields in Nigeria, it said.
Nigeria’s gas specifications and met-ocean conditions are ideally suited to Golar’s FLNG solutions, the firm said.
According to Golar’s second-quarter results report issued on Thursday, the firm and NNPC signed a head of terms on August 1, expanding on the deal signed in April.
Golar and NNPC have agreed an integrated contractual framework for the joint development of specific gas fields towards potential FLNG projects, the firm said.
The relevant fields could fully utilize FLNG Hilli following the end of its current contract in mid-2026, or utilize a MKII FLNG, Golar said.
Gimi FLNG 97 percent complete
Golar owns the 2.4 mtpa Hilli FLNG located in Cameroon and the 2.5 mtpa Gimi FLNG currently under conversion at Singapore’s Seatrium yard.
The LNG firm led by Tor Olav Trøim said in the report that Gimi conversion works are 97 percent complete and the unit is scheduled to leave the yard in September 2023.
“Final checks, storing up and sea trials will then take place in Singapore ahead of her voyage to Mauritania and Senegal, expected to commence around the end of September/early October,” it said.
Gimi will serve BP’s Tortue FLNG project offshore Mauritania and Senegal under a 20-year charter deal.
UK-based energy giant BP recently pushed back the launch of the first phase of its Greater Tortue Ahmeyim FLNG project to the first quarter of 2024.
Project partner Kosmos Energy said this is due to a delay in the subsea workstream.
Golar also said that a contract interpretation dispute between the company and BP regarding parts of the pre-commissioning contractual cash flows remains and arbitration proceedings have been initiated.
“This does not impact the wider execution of the 20-year project that is expected to unlock around $3 billion of adjusted Ebitda backlog to Golar, equivalent to annual adjusted Ebitda of around $151 million,” it said.
Converted Fuji FLNG to cost $2 billion
Golar said in the quarterly report that development of commercial opportunities also continues outside Nigeria for Hilli FLNG and its prospective MKII FLNG, including commercial term negotiations with gas resource owners and government interaction in potential countries of operation.
The complexity of offshore gas developments drives the timeline for potential announcements of binding terms for incremental FLNG work, according to the firm.
In the quarterly presentation, Golar said it is currently in “discussion with 6+ gas resource owners for potential FLNG deployment, with better economic terms than current charters.”
Golar said it continues to develop its potential MKII FLNG project with an annual capacity of 3.5 mtpa.
It said that the cost of a converted Fuji FLNG is expected to be around $2 billion, equivalent to approximately $570 per ton.
“Financing proposals for between $1.2 to $1.5 billion, that are not contingent on an employment contract are being discussed,” it said.
Golar said it has increased its pre-FID commitment for the MKII FLNG project to $400 million, including procuring long-lead items, engineering works, and the Fuji LNG acquisition.
Earlier this year, Golar exercised its option to acquire the 148,000-cbm Moss-type carrier, Fuji LNG, which it aims to convert to a floating LNG producer.
Greece-based shipping firm TMS Cardiff Gas previously owned this LNG carrier.
Golar also sold its 1977-built LNG carrier, Golar Gandria, which it previously planned to convert to an FLNG.
Results
Golar reported a net income of $7 million in the second quarter, and adjusted Ebitda of $83 million, inclusive of $72 million of non-cash items.
During the quarter, 1.4 million shares were repurchased and cancelled at an average cost of $21.06 per share, leaving 106 million shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2023.
Golar’s board of directors approved a total second-quarter dividend of $0.25 per share to be paid on or around August 29, 2023.