Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 31, Italy’s Eni and China-based Wison New Energies have marked a milestone with the sailaway ceremony in Shanghai for the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit Nguya. The facility, built by Wison for Eni’s Congo LNG project, will soon be deployed offshore Congo as part of Phase 2 of the country’s first LNG initiative.

FLNG Nguya sail away ceremony

FLNG Nguya has storage capacity for 180,000 cubic meters of LNG and 45,000 cubic meters of LPG, with a liquefaction capacity of 2.4 million tons per annum (mtpa). Once in operation, it will work alongside the existing FLNG Tango, which has a 0.6 mtpa capacity and has been producing since early 2024. Together, the two units will raise the overall output of the Congo LNG project to 3 mtpa.

The Congo LNG development is designed to harness gas from the Marine XII project, covering the Nenè and Litchendjili fields. FLNG Tango exported its first cargo in February 2024, just three months after first gas, and has since delivered 12 cargoes. FLNG Nguya is expected to be in service by the end of this year, further enhancing LNG supply from the region.

At 376 meters long and 60 meters wide, the new FLNG unit can also process gas from other offshore fields. According to Eni, the 33 months from contract signing to sailaway set a record in time-to-market for projects of this scale. Construction began in January 2023, and the hull was launched in November of that year.

Wison highlighted the speed of delivery. Wei Huaqing, Vice President of Wison New Energies and Project Director of FLNG Nguya, said: “Through our unique EPCIC one-stop service, we minimized interface across the project execution period, forged seamless collaboration with Eni project team, and ultimately delivered one month ahead of contract schedule—setting a new benchmark for international energy projects.”

The unit includes low-carbon design features such as dual-fuel generators and waste heat recovery units (WHRU), aimed at lowering emissions while maintaining efficiency. Wison also integrated Chart Industries’ IPSMR liquefaction technology and SPB tank for the first time into a floating liquefaction facility, enabling high efficiency and reliable storage.

Eni added that a refurbished floating production and compression unit, converted from the former Scarabeo 5 drilling rig, will soon depart to support the Nguya unit. This reuse, according to the company, illustrates a circular economy approach aligned with its decarbonization goals. Work on the subsea infrastructure for Phase 2 is advancing, with mooring and startup targeted by the end of 2025.

Beyond LNG, Eni is also progressing in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). Earlier this month, the company signed an agreement with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) to sell a stake in its affiliate operating the Liverpool Bay and Bacton projects in the UK, as well as the L10 project in the Netherlands.

With FLNG Nguya about to join operations, the Congo LNG project is set to strengthen regional LNG output, add processing flexibility, and showcase technology cooperation between international and Chinese partners.