Technip is waiting on tenterhooks for Petrobras to pull the trigger on a 14 million cubic metres per day floating liquefaction project in Brazil’s pre-salt province.
The French contractor and partner JGC of Japan were declared winners of a tender to supply the floater in December but it remains unclear when building work will actually get the nod.
Petrobras is still evaluating the relative advantages of a 290-kilometre pipeline against FLNG to handle pre-salt gas expected to come on-stream by mid-decade.
Managers in the Brazilian company’s gas and energy department and the engineering division have shown enthusiasm for LNG but experienced hands in E&P have questioned the wisdom of opting for untried and expensive technologies.
The appointment of the former gas and energy director Maria das Gracas Foster as the group’s new chief executive has raised expectations that FLNG will indeed provide the gas-handling solution for the next batch of oil-focused floating production, storage and offloading vessels.
The fact that Technip is already building an FLNG vessel for Shell may also weigh in its favour given the risks.
Pre-salt gas ratios mean that for every four or five FPSOs deployed, an FLNG versus pipeline solution can be considered. A decision on the next system is reportedly expected in April.
