Lloyds Energy, formed last year by Greek CEO Konstantinos Mitropoulos in the United Arab Emirates, has already engaged giant US global engineering, construction and services company KBR to do front end engineering design work for the topside and hull of future near-shore FLNG barges.
This FEED work started at the beginning of this month, with completion anticipated before the end of Q2 2016. Worley Parsons previously completed pre-FEED activities in October 2014, on schedule and within budget.
It is understood that KBR is doing this work in return for an equity stake in Lloyds, which is also on the hunt for offtake partners.
An announcement is expected in coming months when Lloyds is locked into a project.
Over the past year, Lloyds has grown rapidly in the FLNG sector created a gas supply and midstream pipeline connection agreement for 10 billion cubic metres equivalent of exports of 8million tonnes per annum.
Lloyds - not to be confused with Lloyds Register Energy - said any future project using its near-shore FLNG technology would include onshore reception facilities for gas export, a relatively short (less than 5km) transportation pipeline to connect the liquefaction host barge and storage facilities.
It would also include LNG offloading facilities via loading arms located on a dedicated jetty and onshore maintenance facilities.
To lead, manage and implement the delivery of future near-shore FLNG projects, Lloyds is building an internal team of FLNG specialists, many of whom have experience from the Prelude, Coral, Bonaparte and Abadi FLNG developments.
Mitropoulos, who engaged KBR and Worley Parsons to perform the FEED design, said the company's vision was to successfully deliver, through near-shore FLNG technology, a viable alternative to traditional and capital intensive onshore LNG developments.
"Our first project will be planned as a phased development comprising a near-shore FLNG facility with 2.5 million tonnes per annum nominal capacity and Lloyds Energy is presently assessing a range of potential near-shore FLNG locations," he said.
"The ultimate objective is to establish a program of multiple near-shore FLNG projects, based on one single and original design.
"Lloyds Energy is extremely pleased to be working with KBR on this exciting project. Both companies have experienced FLNG teams with full asset-cycle exposure, from concept development through to long term asset management. We are confident that we have chosen the best contractors in the industry to support this project."
KBR's president for engineering and construction, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Eurasia Region, Jan Egil Braendeland, said the contract was a "significant milestone" in his company's FLNG industry strategy.
"Our new relationship with Lloyds Energy complements our existing FEED experience for the Coral South FLNG project in Mozambique," the KBR executive said.
"We look forward to working with Lloyds Energy to achieve their goal of developing strategically important near-shore FLNG projects across a range of locations.
"KBR has a unique position within the LNG market, as a contractor that can satisfy the needs of our LNG customers, regardless of the phase of a project. Our ability to design and manage projects, from concept through to construction and commissioning, underpins why many industry participants choose to work with KBR and why the company is responsible for one third of the world's operating LNG capacity, across a range of locations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Australia."
Earlier this month, KBR was awarded a construction contract for the modification and expansion of Flint Hills Resources' Corpus Christi West refinery for its Project Eagle Ford in the US.
Mitropoulos founded Enolia Energy Group in 2006, a group of 30 renewable energy companies, completing 25 share purchase agreements and cross border M&A transactions with Enel Green Power, Hanergy and Moser Baer and various private organisations for the group's solar and wind projects in Southern Easter Europe and Japan.
