Drydocks sets up offshore re-gasification units in Italy

Drydocks World - Dubai is building its first Floating Storage Re-gasification Unit (FSRU) conversion project, known as the FSRU Livorno Project, the company announced yesterday.

The conversion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Golar Frost into an FSRU, is being handled by the main contractor, Saipem, a leading international turnkey contractor in the oil and gas industry, and will be delivered to OLT Offshore LNG Toscana, a company operating in the Italian gas industry.

Golar Frost will be converted into a floating LNG receiving terminal of the FSRU type to be permanently moored offshore Livorno, Italy, about 12 miles from the coast in a water depth of about 120 metres and connected to shore through a gas export pipeline.

It will have a storage capacity of 137,000 cubic meters of LNG and a production capacity of 3.75 billion standard cubic metres per annum (bscmpa).

FSRUs are floating terminals where LNG is stored before being re-gasified on board. FSRU conversion, which falls within Drydocks World - Dubai's services, is among projects rarely undertaken by shipyards across the world, the company said.

It began work in June 2009 and plans to complete it by the middle of 2010.

Nawal Saigal, Managing Director, Drydocks World - Dubai, said: "The FSRU Livorno conversion is a prestigious assignment for us. It is the largest and most advanced FSRU to come into the market. Drydocks World - Dubai has collaborated with Saipem on many projects in the past and we appreciate their confidence in our maritime engineering expertise and manpower excellence. We are confident that this project will further strengthen Dubai's reputation as a global leader in the ship conversion industry."

The conversion of the Liquefied natural gas carrier includes fabrication and installation of structures such as turret mooring systems, aft thruster compartment, foundations of cranes and loading arms, bilge keel and foundations for equipment. In addition, the unit's external hull, deck and outfitting will be blasted. The project also involves the installation of a side-by-side berthing mooring system for the LNG carrier, a loading system or loading arms, LNG transfer system to there-gasification plant, a process plant for re-gasification, utilities including power generation and sea water systems.

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