Shanghai: Eni announced the sail away ceremony for the Nguya floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit on August 26 in Shanghai, marking a key step in the development of the Congo LNG project in the Marine XII concession offshore the Republic of Congo, Trend reports. The event was attended by Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo, and an Eni delegation led by Stefano Maione, Director of Development, Operations and Energy Efficiency.
According to Trend News Agency, the Nguya FLNG, which measures 376 meters in length and 60 meters in width, will be moored at a depth of 35 meters to facilitate LNG production. Built over 33 months from contract award to sail away, the unit is equipped with technologies designed to limit carbon emissions and can process gas from multiple fields, enabling flexibility for future developments.
Additionally, the Scarabeo 5 drilling rig has been converted into a floating production and compression unit. It is set to depart in the coming days to supply processed gas to the Nguya FLNG. Eni highlighted that this approach reduced costs, shortened timelines, and lowered environmental impact.
Work on the subsea infrastructure to support Phase 2 of the Congo LNG project is progressing as planned, with mooring and start-up scheduled by the end of 2025. The project’s first facility, the Tango FLNG, began production in December 2023 with a capacity of 0.6 million tonnes per year (MTPA) and has already exported 12 cargoes. The Nguya unit, with a capacity of 2.4 MTPA, is expected to join later this year, raising the total capacity of Congo LNG to 3 MTPA.
Eni has operated in the Republic of Congo for more than 55 years, contributing to the development of the country’s gas resources. The company also supplies gas to the Congo Power Plant, which provides 70% of national electricity generation, and supports local initiatives in energy, water, healthcare, and economic diversification.