Golar 'accelerating work on next FLNG unit' after Gimi starts commercial ops 

Golar LNG said it is looking at options for its next FLNG or FLNGs following the start of commercial operations at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project offshore Mauritania and Senegal.

The company confirmed FLNG Gimi has reached the commercial operations date (COD), triggering the 20-year lease and operate agreement for the GTA project and unlocking "the equivalent of around US$3Bn" adjusted earnings backlog for the company.

"The COD milestone marks a major achievement for one of Africa’s deepest offshore developments which introduce Mauritania and Senegal as LNG exporters," Golar said, noting the roles of GTA operator BP and partners Kosmos, Petronsen and SMH as well as Mauritanian and Senegalese authorities.

The COD ’milestone’ for FLNG Gimi arrived just over a year after Golar LNG said, in late May 2024, that the FLNG was "ready to commence operations for BP" and the commissioning period was expected to be approximately six months. At the time, Golar said that it, BP and Kosmos Energy had reached an agreement in principle over disputed payments for precommercial cash flows over the period from 10 January 2024 through a COD.

Options for FLNGs

The company said ’charterer demand’ is driving the design choices on developing a set of options for a potential FLNG or FLNGs. 

"We continue to advance commercial discussions, with charterer demand guiding design choice of the fourth FLNG unit," Golar LNG said.

In addition to the 3.5-mta MKII option at CIMC Raffles shipyard, Golar said it has signed a final engineering study to confirm the engineering, procurement and construction price and delivery for a 5-mta MKIII FLNG and is updating the price and schedule for an up to 2.7-mta MKI FLNG.

Alongside the onset of commercial operations for its FLNG offshore Africa, Golar LNG said drivers behind the company’s newbuilding investigations include announcing two FLNG charters in Argentina in early May 2025.

Argentina’s Southern Energy LNG export project, which now includes energy companies Pan American Energy, Pampa Energia and Harbour Energy, refiner YPF and FLNG owner Golar LNG, took a final investment decision (FID) on an LNG export project that is targeting the deployment of two of Golar LNG’s FLNGs. 

The FID has sanctioned a 20-year charter and deployment deal for FLNG Hilli Episeyo that was agreed between Pan American Energy and Golar LNG in July 2024. And the FID included a similar 20-year charter deal for a second Golar FLNG MK II.