The GDF Suez-operated Bonaparte floating LNG (FLNG) project has missed another of its deadlines set earlier in the development planning.
When the Timor Sea FLNG project received environmental approval from the Australian government in 2012, GDS Suez said that front-end engineering and design studies would begin in 2013. In September 2013, GDF Suez advised that FEED would start during this year’s first quarter.
That date has now become “in 2014.” No reason has been given for the delays, but the project remains in the pre-FEED phase at the moment.
Bonaparte FLNG General Manager Jean-Francois Letellier says the final investment decision is still scheduled for 2015 enabling the project to be brought on stream in 2019.
Previously GDF Suez has said the FEED contract is a contest between the KBR-Hyundai Heavy Industries consortium and a group comprised of Technip and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.
The Wood Kenny Group was awarded the pre-FEED subsea concept definition study. Tenders for geotechnical and geophysical site investigation closed this month.
The Bonaparte FLNG project will be supplied with gas from Petrel, Tern, and Frigate fields, which lie in the central Bonaparte Gulf straddling the offshore boundary between Western Australia and the Northern Territory about 250 km west of Darwin.
The FLNG proposal is for a vessel 400-m long and 70 m-wide capable of producing 2.4 million tonnes/year of LNG.
GDF Suez has 60% interest in the project with Santos Ltd. holding the remaining interest.