The long-delayed floating LNG regasification and storage unit (FRSU) for the Italian port of Livorno has arrived on station 12 miles offshore, according to Fairmount Marine, whose tugs brought the vessel from its conversion yard in Dubai (OGJ Online, Mar. 11, 2008).
The 288-m long Toscana FRSU, formerly the Golar Frost, was towed from Drydock World in Dubai for contractor Saipem and owner OLT Offshore LNG Toscana SPA earlier this month.
At full operating capacity, Toscana will be able to vaporize 3.75 billion cu m of LNG and store up to 137,500 cu m.
Italy has two other operating LNG terminals. The 2.5 million tonne/year onshore terminal at Panigaglia is owned and operated by GNL Italia and began operations in 1969. The world’s only fixed offshore LNG terminal at Porto Levante can accommodate 5.8 million tpy. It is owned and operated by Adriatic LNG, a joint venture of ExxonMobil Corp., Qatar Petroleum, and Edison.
Under construction is the 5.8-million tpy Porto Empedocle in Sicily. Owned by Nuove Energie, a joint venture of Enel and the Siderurgica Investimenti Group, the terminal targets commissioning and start-up in 2016.