Cameroon Exports First LNG Cargo
Cameroon's first LNG export cargo departed May 17. It's also the first cargo exported by a West African floating liquefaction (FLNG) venture.
A spokesman for Perenco, operator of the Cameroon FLNG, told NGW May 18 that the LNG carrier "Galicia Spirit left yesterday, fully loaded with LNG; facilities are operational but still under testing."
This is the first fully laden shipment since the venture started production in the first half of March. However it then missed its target of exporting the first cargo by early April.
Gazprom Marketing & Trading is the lifter of all Cameroon FLNG cargoes, following a 15 year offtake agreement for the venture's 1.2mn metric ton per year output signed in 2015. This first shipment is believed to have been sold to PetroChina. Galicia Spirit can carry 140,500 m3 of LNG when fully laden.
A different vessel, with a capacity of 146,000m3 is scheduled to load Cameroon FLNG's second cargo on May 26.
Golar LNG, which owns the Hilli Episeyo liquefaction vessel used by the Cameroon FLNG venture, has yet to comment on the first cargo loading; it is hoping to achieve full commercial acceptance of what is West Africa's first floating LNG venture from Perenco and its Cameroon state partner Societe Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH).
(Banner photo of Galicia Spirit is courtesy of Union Fenosa Gas)