Wedoany.com Report-Feb 27, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in South Korea conducted a hull launching ceremony for a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production facility, named PFLNG Tiga, commissioned by Malaysia’s state-owned energy company Petronas. The order for this unit was placed in December 2022 after a front-end engineering and design tender in 2021, with SHI collaborating alongside JGC Corporation. The ceremony took place at SHI’s shipyard, marking a key step in the project’s timeline.
Hull launching ceremony;
Measuring 281 meters in length, 64 meters in width, and 32 meters in depth, PFLNG Tiga has a launching weight of about 50,000 tons, making it 2.5 times larger than a standard soccer field (105 x 68 meters). Once operational, slated for May 2027, the facility will produce 2.1 million tonnes of gas annually off the coast of the Sipitang Oil and Gas Complex in Sabah, Malaysia. Adif Zulkifli, Executive Vice President & CEO of Petronas’ Gas & Maritime Business, stated: “This FLNG will not only provide an optimized route for offshore gas development but also help enhance Malaysia’s position as a leader in low-carbon energy.”
Ahn Youngkyu, head of SHI’s Marine Business Division, expressed confidence in the project, noting: “This PFLNG Tiga will become a new benchmark for units of its kind.” He highlighted SHI’s strong standing in the industry, having secured contracts for five of the nine FLNG units ordered globally. Following the hull launch, SHI will anchor the facility at the quay to proceed with internal hull construction, LNG storage tank installation, topside equipment setup, and insulation tasks.
A significant phase of the project involves installing a 40,000-ton topside facility. SHI and JGC plan to manufacture 11 modules, ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 tons each, and complete their installation using a 9,000-ton offshore crane by February 2027. This effort follows Petronas’ recent announcement of a new licensing round last week, which includes five exploration blocks and three discovered resource opportunities, signaling continued growth in Malaysia’s energy sector.
The PFLNG Tiga project underscores a collaborative push toward efficient offshore gas production, supporting Malaysia’s goals in sustainable energy development while leveraging SHI’s expertise in large-scale marine engineering. Completion of the facility remains on track for its operational debut in mid-2027.
