Shell Awards Giant Prelude Contract To ABB
The Malaga factory of Swiss multinational engineering giant ABB will be the focal point for a five-year contract to provide services and equipment to Shell’s Prelude floating LNG facility off the Kimberley coas
The Malaga factory of Swiss multinational engineering giant ABB will be the focal point for a five-year contract to provide services and equipment to Shell’s Prelude floating LNG facility off the Kimberley coast.
The Shell order includes the delivery of motors, generators, variable speed drives and low-voltage switchgear and guarantees service and lifecycle management of the electrical equipment as well as service and support for motors from third-party vendors.
ABB said it would build up a spare parts inventory, provide workshop repairs, training and round-the-clock technical support both over the phone and on-site.
It said spare parts and replacement systems were being procured this year, with training to begin soon after.
ABB’s discrete automation and motion division president, Pekka Tiitinen, said a reliable service network was crucial for the floating facility’s productivity.
“Prelude will be equipped with ABB’s integrated marine solutions for optimal reliability, flexibility and energy efficiency to assure higher profitability,” he said.
“In line with our ‘Next Level’ strategy of business-led collaboration, various ABB businesses will work together to mobilise the strength and experience of our entire global service organization.”
Shell’s Prelude project will use the first floating LNG facility of its size in the world. The 488-metre long, 74-metre wide facility is under construction at Samsung’s shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.
Once towed to its location 475km north north-east of Broome, the facility will be attached to the underwater infrastructure in the Browse Basin.
It is scheduled to remain there for up to 25 years without uncoupling for overhaul, or to take shelter from cyclones.
The electrical system will power 14 gas plant modules, allowing the facility to produce 5.3 million tonnes per annum of liquid LNG.
The agility of FLNG allows oil and gas companies to develop fields that would otherwise be uneconomical and their environmental impact is minimal compared with conventional production platforms and pipelines.
Prelude is a joint venture between operator Shell (67.5 per cent), INPEX (17.5 per cent), Kogas (10 per cent) and OPIC (5 per cent).
ABB has about 135,000 employees across about 100 countries, with reported global revenue of $US35.5 billion.
