Saetrium said on Wednesday that the project is set to begin in the third quarter of 2026 and includes critical technical modifications for the vessel’s redeployment in the Gulf of San Matias, Argentina.
The scope of work includes engineering and procurement of long-lead items, repair and life extension, and winterisation of the vessel, as well as the installation of a new soft-yoke mooring system.
Seatrium did not provide the pricing details of the contract.
When completed, FLNG Hilli Episeyo will be redeployed in the Gulf of San Matias in the Rio Negro province offshore Argentina, liquefying gas from the Vaca Muerta shale formation onshore in Neuquen province for 20 years.
FLNG Hilli, with a nameplate capacity of 2.45 MMt/year, is set to recommence operations in 2027.
Seatiurm delivered FLNG Hilli to Golar in 2017, saying that it is the world’s first converted FLNG vessel.
The group also delivered FLNG Gimi to Golar in 2023, which has recently started commercial operations at the BP-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyim field offshore Mauritania and Senegal.
FLNG Hilli
In December last year, Golar took full ownership of FLNG Hilli after completing deals worth $90.2 million with Seatrium and Black & Veatch.
Before that, Golar also completed its deal with US LNG player NFE to buy the 50 percent interest in trains 1 and 2 of the FLNG.
Hilli is currently contracted to Perenco in Cameroon, until contract expiry in July 2026.
Following the completion of its contract in Cameroon, the FLNG will relocate to Argentina to start a 20-year contract for Southern Energy, a consortium of natural gas producers in Argentina.
In July 2024, Golar entered into definitive agreements with Argentina’s Pan American Energy for a 20-year deployment of FLNG Hilli.
Pan American Energy, Golar LNG, YPF, Pampa Energia, and Harbour Energy took a final investment decision for the Southern Energy FLNG project in May this year.
With this, all conditions were fulfilled for the 20-year re-deployment charter of FLNG Hilli.
In addition, Golar and SESA signed definitive agreements for a 20-year charter for the MKII FLNG, currently under conversion at CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai, China.
The partners took FID on this project last month.
Besides these three units, Golar is moving forward with its plans to order its fourth FLNG conversion.
