French marine and offshore contractor, Geocean, a VINCI Construction Grands Projets unit, has started working on a new contract it recently won from China’s Wison New Energies for Eni’s FLNG project in Congo.
Geocean signed an agreement with Wison New Energies to transport and install the mooring system as part of the FLNG infrastructure on the Marine XII block in Congo.
This strategic FLNG project aims to harness the significant gas reserves of this block to bolster Congo’s energy sector by producing LNG for domestic and export needs while adopting low-carbon technologies.
The project site will be located off the coast of Congo in 33-meter water depth.
Geocean says the mooring system will consist of a submerged swivel and yoke (SSY) engineered, procured, fabricated, and delivered by NOV APL.
First quarter of 2025
Geocan will complete the installation of the FLNG’s mooring system in two phases.
The pre-installation of the SSY anchor piles will be done by using a jack-up barge to set the anchor piles at the site using drilling and grouting techniques.
Also, Geocean will complete the transport and installation of the SSY system on the seabed using a heavy lift vessel specially mobilized for this operation.
The work, which leverages Geocean’s advanced technical expertise and capabilities, is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2025.
Congo FLNG project
Wison New Energies secured a contract from Italy’s Eni in December 2022 to build a 380-meter-long FLNG.
The FLNG will have a production capacity of 2.4 million metric tonnes of LNG per year, with storage capacities exceeding 180,000 cbm of LNG, 45,000 cbm of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and also 18,000 cbm of condensate.
Eni’s Congo project will reach an overall LNG production capacity of 3 million metric tonnes or 4.5 billion cubic meters annually from 2025.
Besides this FLNG, the Congo project features a smaller unit, Tango FLNG.
Eni shipped the first LNG cargo from its Tango FLNG moored in Congolese waters in February this year.
Delivered by Wison New Energies in 2017, Tango FLNG has a liquefaction capacity of about 1 billion cubic meters per year of gas, or 0.6 million metric tonnes of LNG, and a storage capacity of 16,100 cbm.
Second large LNG project for Geocean this year
This project follows Geocean’s recently completed contract on the offshore part of the second FSRU-based LNG import project in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
Norway’s ECOnnect Energy contracted Geocean to support them in installing the IQuay ready-to-use solution for importing LNG to Wilhelmshaven.
With 40 years of experience in complex offshore projects, Geocean also previously worked on several other offshore LNG terminals.
The projects include the Moheshkhali LNG terminal and the Summit FSRU terminal in Bangladesh.
(This sponsored article was written by Geocean with assistance from LNG Prime.)