Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

Golar LNG in discussion for four floating LNG projects in Nigeria

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This article first appeared on the Hawilti+ terminal on 12 August 2023.

Golar LNG has signed a Heads of Terms with Nigeria’s state-owned NNPC Ltd in August 2023 and is currently discussing and developing four floating LNG and gas projects in the country, the company said.

It targets to use its 2.4 mtpa Hilli FLNG unit, currently contracted offshore Cameroon until 2026, or its 3.5 mtpa MKII FLNG unit for deployment offshore Nigeria for a minimum of ten years. The MKII wil rely on an LNG carrier recently acquired and set for conversion.

Golar LNG signed a Heads of Terms with NNPC Ltd on 1 August 2023.

Nigeria has been increasing its outreach to global stakeholders and investors across the gas value-chain as it seeks to monetise its 206 Tcf of gas for the domestic and export market. Several gas export projects are currently planned, including pipeline and LNG export infrastructure. The most advanced of them is the UTM Offshore floating LNG unit, in which NNPC has taken a 20% stake and currently progressing toward a final investment decision (FID).

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Nigeria: ExxonMobil on the hunt for two deep-water drilling rigs

ExxonMobil’s subsidiaries in Nigeria are seeking to mobilise two deep-water drilling rigs for a period of three years, with options of a further two years. Under a tender opportunity issued this week, the companies are seeking to conduct drilling, completion, testing, temporary abandonment, and workover activities in water depth ranging from 600m to 1,800m. The American major is currently divesting its shallow water portfolio in the country to focus on the development of its deep-water assets, including OML 133 (Erha FPSO), OML 138 (Usan FPSO), OML 139 and OML 154 (Owowo discovery). In recent public appearances, ExxonMobil executives in Nigeria have hinted at the progress made on several deep-water opportunities in the country, without giving any specifics. Over the past few weeks, the company’s subsidiaries have issued a total of 23 tenders to support drilling operations for three years at least, including for the provision of subsea wellhead systems and of oil country tubular goods (OCTG). The Owowo (OML 139/154) and Bosi (OML 133) developments feature amongst NNPC’s key projects this decade. The development of Owowo could include the drilling and completion of 53 producers/injectors with a subsea tie-back to the Usan FPSO. Its FEED and contracting could commence in 2024, according to NNPC. The scope for the Bosi development is yet to be announced and could rely on the existing infrastructure of Erha, located on the same block. Liam Mallon, President of ExxonMobil Upstream Company, was amongst the first executives to meet President Tinubu after he took office in May. The meeting sent encouraging sign on the major’s commitment to Nigeria and the possibility of fresh investments being announced soon. In June, the company appointed Shane Harris as its new chairman and managing director in Nigeria.

Saipem’s Scarabeo 5 drilling rig to be converted into new floating unit for Congo LNG

This article first appeared on the Hawilti+ terminal on 10 August 2023. Saipem has been awarded a contract by Eni Congo to convert its Scarabeo 5 semisubmersible drilling unit into a separation and boosting plant. The converted rig will serve a floating production unit (FPU) for Congo LNG, Eni’s LNG export project currently under-development offshore Pointe Noire. Saipem is already a contractor on the project, for which it is executing preliminary engineering and procurement activities. The FPU will be receiving the production fluids from wellheads riser platforms, separate the gas from liquids and boosts the gas to feed the nearby 2.4 mtpa floating LNG unit (FLNG) currently being built by Wison Heavy Industry in China. While start-up is expected in Q4 2025, Eni Congo is expected to start delivering LNG as early as the end of the year from an initial development that relies on a small 0.6 mtpa FLNG unit.