2023's top stories in LNG Shipping & Terminals

In LNG Shipping & Terminals’ most-read stories of 2022, the fire and work to repair and restart Freeport LNG’s 15-mta export facility that was damaged in the conflagration was a major story. Shell Australia made headlines, too, when the company’s Prelude FLNG facility, which had only been briefly operational since a 2020 fire forced its closure and difficulties in repairing the facility followed, was shuttered for several months due to a dispute over worker pay. 

Australian LNG challenges again caught the world’s eyes in 2023, with a prolonged strike at Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG facilities threatening to add to global energy woes. An LNG carrier compliance crisis began to beckon, too, threatening future capacity of the vessel type. But, balancing out the market-related challenges was news of an FLNG rebound and newly designed ultra-large LNG carriers.

To read each story in full, click on the headline, the image or the link at the end of the text.

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1. Australia LNG strikes: workers vote in favour of new deal

Union representatives say members have approved renegotiated enterprise bargaining agreements for Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone facilities, as European importers brace for winter and the potential for higher LNG spot prices.

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2. Trouble ahead: LNG capacity crisis looms as non-compliance set to extend across fleet

Newbuild LNG carriers due for delivery between now and 2027 face the prospect of non-compliance by the end of the next decade as carbon efficiency regulations intensify, unless technology initiatives are undertaken urgently, writes Lloyd’s Register’s gas segment director, Panos Mitrou.

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3. FLNG rebound: US$35Bn in investments on new projects over next five years

Despite a recent history of cost overruns, construction delays and operational setbacks, floating LNG projects will see US$35Bn in new investment over the next five years, according to a leading Westwood Global Energy analyst.

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4. Contract kickstarts engineering work on world’s largest FLNG project

A contract awarded to the team of Black & Veatch and Samsung Heavy Industries will kickstart engineering and design work for what will be the world’s largest floating LNG (FLNG) export project. The front-end engineering design contract for the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG Project was announced at LNG 2023, held 10-13 July in Vancouver. One of the most ambitious indigenous-led LNG projects in western Canada, the Ksi Lisims LNG Project is being jointly developed by Western LNG, the Nisga’a Nation and Rockies LNG.

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5. Deal kickstarts new ultra-large LNG carrier designs with IMO Type B tanks

LNG Easy inked a long-term exclusive commercialisation agreement in January with Bluesoul Technology and Deltamarin to develop ultra-large LNG carrier designs based on IMO Type B cargo containment systems. These new LNG carrier designs will use the patented Bastion B containment system, which was developed jointly by Bluesoul and Torgy LNG using Alu 5083. This material was first applied in LNG carriers last century in Japan. The system is of prismatic shape and free from sloshing concerns.

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