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Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) refers to water-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations employing technologies designed to enable the development of offshore natural gas resources. While no FLNG facilities currently exist, a facility is in development by the Malaysian national oil company PETRONAS, and is due to be completed by the end of 2015. Floating above an offshore natural gas field, the FLNG facility will theoretically produce, liquefy, store and transfer LNG (and potentially LPG and condensate) at sea before carriers ship it directly to markets. == History == Studies into offshore LNG production have been conducted since the early 1970s, but it was only in the mid-1990s that significant research backed by experimental development began.〔() 〕 In 1997, Mobil developed a FLNG production concept based on a large, square structure () with a moonpool in the center,〔 〕 commonly known as "The Doughnut". The Mobil proposal was sized to produce LNG per year produced from per year of feed gas, with storage provided on the structure for of LNG and of condensate.〔 In 1999, a major study was commissioned as a joint project by Chevron Corporation and several other oil and gas companies.〔() 〕 This was closely followed by the so-called 'Azure' research project, conducted by the EU and several oil and gas companies. Both projects made great progress in steel concrete hull design, topside development and LNG transfer systems.〔() 〕 Since the mid-1990s Royal Dutch Shell has been working on its own FLNG technology. This includes engineering and the optimization of its concept related to specific potential project developments in Namibia, Timor Leste/Australia, and Nigeria. In July 2009, Royal Dutch Shell signed an agreement with Technip and Samsung allowing for the design, construction and installation of multiple Shell FLNG facilities. Petrobras invited three consortiums to submit proposals for engineering, procurement and construction contracts for FLNG plants in ultra-deep Santos Basin waters during 2009. A final investment decision was expected in 2011. , Japan's Inpex planned to leverage FLNG to develop the Abadi gas field in the Masela block of the Timor Sea, with a final investment decision expected by the end of 2013. Late in 2010, Inpex deferred start-up by two years to 2018 and cut its 'first phase' capacity to 2.5 million tons per year (from a previously proposed capacity of 4.5 million tonnes).〔 , Chevron Corporation was considering an FLNG facility to develop offshore discoveries in the Exmouth Plateau of Western Australia, while in 2011, ExxonMobil was waiting for an appropriate project to launch its FLNG development. According to a presentation given by their engineers at GASTECH 2011, ConocoPhillips aimed to implement a facility by 2016-19, and had completed the quantitative risk analysis of a design that would undergo pre-FEED study during the remainder of 2011.〔 〕 In June 2014, GDF Suez and Santos Ltd. made a decision to halt development on an Australia offshore gas field project that had proposed to use floating LNG platform technology. A part of the decision included the perception that long-term capabilities of North American gas fields due to hydraulic fracturing technologies and increasing Russian export capabilities may adversely affect the profitability of the venture due to competition.〔 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Floating liquefied natural gas」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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