Cameroon FLNG Hooked Up, Start-Up Due 1Q

Dutch heavy lift contractor, Jumbo Offshore, announced January 9 its successful hook-up of the Hilli Episeyo floating liquefaction (FLNG) vessel, owned by Golar LNG, to its subsea anchor system, umbilical and gas riser in Kribi, southern Cameroon.

“We showed we can keep control in difficult situations and stick to the pre-defined plans. This could only be achieved with thanks to the team spirit and excellent efforts of the Jumbo and Golar LNG team and our subcontractors, in the preparation phase as well as during the offshore execution”, said Tim Klieverik, project manager at Jumbo.

Production tests were started at the site in mid-December, another achievement in the development of what is set to be Africa’s first floating liquefaction project, and the second worldwide after Malaysia.

The exact date on which production and export at the site will commence is still unknown. However Cameroon state Société nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH), which along with Anglo-French independent  Perenco are the upstream partners, said December 19 2017, that production will begin in 1Q 2018, thus with a three months delay. Originally the project was to have started mid-2017.

Cameroon’s energy minister, Basile Atangana Kouna, has so far declined to make any official comment in this regard, despite several press enquiries.

The venture will have a capacity of 1.2 million tons per year, contracted to Gazprom.