Sembcorp Marine and ENGIE join hands to develop Gravifloat
Singapore-based Sembcorp Marine Ltd’s subsidiary, Sembcorp Marine Rigs & Floaters Pte. Ltd., and Paris-based ENGIE have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the development and deployment of Sembcorp Marine’s proprietary Gravifloat technology for LNG-to-Power near-shore terminals, focusing on small LNG power businesses with 10 MW to 300 MW capacities, Sembcorp Marine said in a media release.
Gravifloat solutions are steel-based modularised and floatable structures fixed to the seabed at site. As compelling alternatives to existing onshore and floating LNG facilities, these structures are re-floatable and can be redeployed to another location.
They combine as such the advantages of floating and land-based solutions while avoiding their respective drawbacks. Easily scalable, Gravifloat solutions can be flexibly configured with various proven land-based plants and equipment.
Gravifloat modules are constructed and tested at Sembcorp Marine’s shipyards, leveraging the latter’s expertise, fabrication methodology, infrastructure, and timely delivery.
Since 2015, Sembcorp Marine and ENGIE have been discussing a Gravifloat 3-in-1 integrated solution for near-shore receiving, storage and regasification of LNG as well as power generation. Combining the expertise of ENGIE in power generation and LNG with the versatility of Sembcorp Marine’s Gravifloat technology, the parties intend to develop and promote this 3-in-1 solution to meet the needs of emerging markets. They will be working together on targeted projects.
“This agreement with Sembcorp Marine will enrich ENGIE's offerings to its customers with an additional innovative LNG-to-Power solution particularly well suited for harsh weather conditions and with a short time to market,” says Mr. Didier Holleaux, ENGIE Executive Vice President.
“Sembcorp Marine’s Gravifloat technology, together with our yard facilities for fabricating the Gravifloat structures, is an excellent complement to ENGIE’s technical know-how and experience in the LNG-to-power business. We value this collaboration and are looking forward to a successful project with ENGIE,” says Mr. William Gu, Sembcorp Marine Head of Rigs & Floaters.
About Sembcorp Marine
Sembcorp Marine is a leading global marine and offshore engineering group with 49 years of experience and proven capabilities in the building of high-specification jackup rigs, the innovative fast-track construction of deep water and ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rigs as well as the EPC conversion of tankers to floating production storage and offloading vessels (FPSO), floating storage and offloading vessels (FPO) and floating production semi-submersible rig (FPU). Sembcorp Marine operates shipyards in Singapore, India, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Brazil.
About ENGIE
ENGIE is a global energy player and an expert operator in the three businesses of electricity, natural gas and energy services. The Group develops its businesses around a model based on responsible growth to take on the major challenges of energy’s transition to a low-carbon economy: access to sustainable energy, climate-change mitigation and adaptation, security of supply and the rational use of resources. ENGIE employs 154,950 people worldwide and achieved revenues of €69.9 billion in 2015. ENGIE manages a large LNG supply portfolio and has a significant presence in regasification terminals in Europe and worldwide. In 2014, the Group initiated a partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation and NYK in LNG marine fuel development and ordered the first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel in the market. Delivery to their first customer is expected in early 2017 at Zeebrugge, Belgium. Last September the three groups launched a joint new brand, Gas4Sea, offering a clean, reliable, safe, and cost-effective ship-to-ship supply of LNG for the maritime sector.