Belgian shipowner Exmar's first floating LNG (FLNG) production unit Tango FLNG has arrived at its new home base in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, after hitching a ride from China on a heavylift ship.
Exmar said Tango FLNG, which is fixed to energy company YPF for a 10-year tolling agreement, will now undergo hook-up and commissioning.
The 0.5-million-tonnes-per-annum capacity unit is due to produce and ship its first cargo of LNG in the second quarter.
Exmar inked the YPF deal on the world's first mini LNG floater in November.
Tango FLNG will liquefy gas produced from Argentina's offshore Vaca Muerta reserves and will turn Argentina, which for over 10 years has been importing LNG, into an exporter.
It has been a long road to Argentina for Exmar and its first FLNG unit.
The barge-based floater was originally fixed to Pacific Rubiales Energy. But the company went bankrupt in 2016, leaving Exmar battling to find alternative work for the unit.
Tango FLNG looks set to become the third floating LNG producer to be put into operation after Petronas' FLNG Satu and Golar LNG's Hilli Episeyo. However, it could still be nudged into fourth place if Shell's Prelude FLNG off Australia ships a first cargo this quarter.
