Teekay taps ABS for FLNG evaluation

Source: Energy current

HOUSTON: Classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has been selected by Teekay Corp. to provide technical evaluation of the basic design concept of a floating offshore gas liquefaction unit. The contract calls for review through to front end engineering and design (FEED) with the award of ABS classification to the facilities once a suitable project has been confirmed.

The liquefied natural gas/liquid petroleum gas (LNG/LPG) liquefaction facility's topsides process is being designed by Houston-based Mustang Engineering. Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) of Korea will design and construct the hull for the floating LNG vessel. Initial design concepts call for the unit to have a combined storage capacity for LNG and LPG in excess of 200,000 cubic meters (7.1 MMcf). The containment system has not yet been selected and will be greatly determined by the site specific conditions.

"With its approval in principle (AIP) for numerous concepts, ABS has been at the forefront of technical standards for gas production at sea and novel transport technologies," said Mark Kremin, vice president, Teekay Gas Services. "The class society's experience with the Gaz Transport Technigaz (GTT) Mk III system and Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries'(IHI) Self-supporting, Prismatic-shape, IMO Type-B tank (SPB) is unmatched."

Commenting on the approach of integrating processing facilities into the design of a floating concept, Kremin added, "ABS allows for the evaluation of appropriate technologies to optimize reliability and flexibility for the LNG or LPG transfer offshore."

ABS has previously classed the only LNG carriers to use the SPB containment system, and also classed the first LPG Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) unit newbuild, Escravos, and the first LPG floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit newbuild, Sanha, both of which are operating offshore Angola.

ABS Project Manager John Soland says Teekay's project will utilize one of Mustang's proprietary LNG Smart liquefaction solutions. Mustang's LNG Smart technologies are designed to improve the commercial viability of LNG terminals, liquefaction plants, and floating regas and liquefaction facilities.

ABS' evaluation of a floating gas project is based upon the application of prescriptive requirements, sea-keeping studies, structural and fatigue analysis of the structure, containment and station keeping systems plus a series of overall risk analysis and special studies. A number of ABS Guides and Guidance Notes will be referred to in establishing compliance for the Teekay floating gas liquefaction facility, including the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Offshore LNG Terminals as well following international standards such as the International Maritime Organization's Gas Code.

Specialized required analysis and technical studies will include: mooring analysis, containment system sloshing analysis, gas dispersion and heat radiation analysis; cryogenic liquid spillage and structural protection study; vibration studies to analyze impact of the top side processing facilities on the hull; as well as other detailed process and marine systems studies.

At the end of last year, ABS reported during the CWC Eighth Annual World LNG Summit in Rome that it was seeing a resurgence of interest in floating solutions for the transportation of natural gas. By pioneering the use of risk-based approaches to develop rules for new designs and novel concepts, ABS has been able to validate novel ship and gas containment and transport designs such as the one proposed by Teekay.