News
resurgence of interest in floating solutions for the transpor-
tation of natural gas aimed at capturing ‘stranded’ gas
reserves around the world.
Speaking at the CWC Eighth Annual World LNG
Summit, towards the end of last year, ABS Europe
president and chief operating officer, William J
Sember, told the audience the repertoire of proposed
gas transport systems designed to monetise these
stranded reserves continues to expand.
‘ABS has now provided its approval in principle
to numerous emerging proprietary technologies or
transport designs that are intended to economically
develop these remote gas fields,’ Mr Sember said.
Floating LNG terminals are also in the works with
ABS recently giving an approval in principle to a
concept proposed INPEX for a large scale gas field for
the Abadi Gas Field. SBM Offshore, with gas proces-
sor Linde, has also developed an LNG FPSO. Also
involved in the project is the IHI shipyard of Japan
that has the proprietary rights to the self-supporting,
prismatic Type B gas containment design. SBM/Linde
plans to commence production of gas from the first
unit in 2012.
Order
Design chosen for
P-56 platform
The Brazilian oil company Petrobras has selected
an Aker Kvaerner design for the hull of its new
semisubmersible production platform to be located
offshore Brazil, at the Marlim Sul deepwater field
development.
The design is a copy of the P-51 semisubmersible
platform, developed by Aker Kvaerner for Petrobras in
2002. P-56 will be the third semisubmersible platform
for Petrobras of this design.
Business
Collaboration gives
an edge
This month (January) it was anticipated that the
Norwegian Ulstein Group would finalise a deal to acquire
a majority stake in the design agency, Sea of Solutions, of
The Netherlands. If the contemplated transaction is takes
place, the name of the new company will be Ulstein Sea
of Solutions.
‘We see many similarities between Sea of Solutions and
the Ulstein Group. As innovators, both companies have
spent time learning to think outside the box with regard
to design and development. It will thus be exciting to see
the outcome of two such innovative companies linking-
up,’ said managing director Tore Ulstein, of Ulstein
International. OMT
Offshore Marine Technology 1st Quarter 2008 
OMT 1stQ 08 - p4+5.indd 5 11/02/2008 11:38:21
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