South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries has developed a next generation floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel that the contractor claims offers a faster path to monetising resources.

Samsung confirmed it has received approval in principle from DNV for its multi-purpose LNG floor-nearshore (MLF-N) floater — an FLNG solution that focuses on improving the economics of the field development while reducing delivery times.

The South Korean offshore and marine contractor that has constructed three newbuild FLNG vessels – including Shell’s Prelude that is deployed offshore Australia — has standardised its ship model and specifications from these previous units for MLF-N.

This standardised vessel design will enable FLNG vessels with cargo capacity between 180,000 and 245,000 cubic metres. MLF-N will be able to support some 50,000 tonnes of topsides equipment including the liquefaction facilities. Other major topsides equipment also will be standardised to shorten the engineering time.

Samsung said it is applying some of the MLF-N design characteristics to the nearshore FLNG it is constructed for repeat customer Petronas’ ZLNG project in Sabah, East Malaysia.

The South Korean company is also actively promoting its MLF-N solution to secure further jobs for other overseas FLNG projects.

“MLF-N is the best solution to meet customers’ needs who want easy, simple and fast LNG development.” said Haeki Jang, Samsung Heavy Industries’ chief technology officer.

“We will continue to take a lead in FLNG through customer-oriented technology innovation.”

Samsung to date has won four of the five newbuild FLNG vessels ordered worldwide — compatriot Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering secured the other unit — and is expecting further orders, having participated in the front-end engineering and design work for a number of FLNG projects currently under discussion.

Prelude, which Samsung built in 2017, is the world’s largest existing FLNG — the 488-metre long vessel tops the scales at 260,000 tonnes.