Eni has introduced gas into the Tango floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, which is part of the Congo LNG project, the first natural gas liquefaction development in the Republic of the Congo.
According to the Italian energy company, the injection of gas has been achieved in 12 months after taking the final investment decision (FID).
Upon the conclusion of the commissioning phase, the Tango FLNG facility is set to produce its inaugural LNG cargo by Q1 2024. This milestone will position the Republic of Congo among the ranks of LNG-producing nations, said Eni.
Eni purchased the Tango FLNG from Exmar Group in August 2022.
The Tango FLNG vessel, measuring 380m in length and 60m in width, has been moored in waters approximately 40m deep. It has the capacity to store more than 180,000m3 of LNG and 45,000m3 of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Anchored alongside the Excalibur floating storage unit (FSU) in Congolese waters, Tango has a liquefaction capacity of approximately one billion cubic metres per year (BCMA). It employs a unique configuration known as “split mooring,” which is the first application of this approach in a floating LNG terminal.
Congo LNG is poised to augment the gas reserves within the Marine XII permit. It will attain a plateau gas liquefaction capacity of approximately 4.5BCMA through gradual development, all while aiming for zero routine gas flaring.
A second FLNG facility with a capacity of around 3.5BCMA, is presently in the construction phase and is scheduled to commence production in 2025. Eni will exclusively handle the marketing of the entire LNG volume produced.
The two FLNG plants are planned to be installed at the already producing Nenè and Litchendjili fields and at the fields that are to be developed in the future.
Congo LNG is expected to address the energy requirements of Republic of the Congo and concurrently facilitate LNG exports. The project aims to provide fresh gas volumes to global markets, with a particular emphasis on meeting the demand in Europe.
