Floating lng plant comprising a first and a second converted lng carrier and a method for obtaining the floating lng plant

Abstract

A floating LNG plant including a first and a second converted LNG carrier each provided with a hull and at least one LNG storage tank wherein the floating LNG plant further includes: a connection structure for connecting the hull of the first and the second converted LNG carrier in order to obtain a twin-hull vessel; process equipment for LNG processing on the floating LNG plant; and a mooring system for mooring the floating LNG plant to the seabed, wherein the at least first and second converted LNG carrier each include an LNG carrier, originally provided with a plurality of LNG tanks, wherein at least one LNG tank has been deactivated and/or removed from at least one LNG carrier to create space on the floating LNG plant for installing the process equipment for LNG processing.

1 . A floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, comprising:
 a first and a second converted LNG carrier each provided with a hull and at least one LNG storage tank, the at least first and second converted LNG carrier each comprising an LNG carrier, originally provided with a plurality of LNG tanks, at least one LNG tank having been deactivated and/or removed from at least one LNG carrier to create space on the floating LNG plant for installing the process equipment for LNG processing;   a connection structure configured to connect the hull of the first and the second converted LNG carrier in order to obtain a twin-hull vessel, the connection structure providing additional deck space between the hull of the first and the second converted LNG carrier;   process equipment for LNG processing on the floating LNG plant, the process equipment being at least partially installed on the additional deck space provided by the connection structure; and   a mooring system for mooring the floating LNG plant to the seabed.   
     
     
         2 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the mooring system is provided with a turret configured to allow the floating LNG plant to weathervane. 
     
     
         3 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the turret is placed external of each of the hulls of the first and second LNG carrier. 
     
     
         4 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the floating LNG plant is connected via a flexible riser to the seabed for the transfer of gas between the plant and the seabed. 
     
     
         5 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second converted LNG carrier are connected to be essentially parallel. 
     
     
         6 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the process equipment for LNG processing comprises means for liquefaction of natural gas. 
     
     
         7 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir configured to store fluids separated during the LNG processing, the reservoir being positioned in the connection structure between the first and the second converted LNG carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sponson to create additional hull volume. 
     
     
         9 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising transfer devices configured to load or unload hydrocarbon liquids produced as a by-product of the LNG process. 
     
     
         10 . The floating LNG plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising LNG transfer devices configured to load or unload LNG. 
     
     
         11 . A method for converting a first and a second liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier into a floating LNG plant, the LNG carrier including at least a hull and a plurality of LNG storage tanks, the method comprising:
 removing from the first and/or second LNG carrier at least one LNG tank, to obtain a first and a second converted LNG carrier;   connecting the first and the second converted LNG carrier by a connection structure in order to obtain a twin-hull vessel;   connecting the connection structure between the hull of the first and the second converted LNG carrier in order to create additional deck space;   installing process equipment for LNG processing on the twin-hull vessel, the process equipment being at least partially installed on the additional deck space provided by the connection structure; and   installing a mooring system on the twin-hull vessel for mooring the floating LNG plant to the seabed.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising providing the mooring system with a turret to allow the floating LNG plant to weathervane. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising connecting the first and the second converted LNG carrier to be essentially parallel. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the process equipment for LNG processing comprises means for liquefaction of natural gas. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising providing a reservoir for storing fluids separated during the LNG processing, said reservoir being positioned in the connection structure between the first and the second converted LNG carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising providing the floating LNG plant with at least one sponson to create additional hull volume. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising providing the floating LNG plant with LNG transfer devices for loading or unloading LNG. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising producing the floating LNG plant with transfer devices for loading or unloading hydrocarbon liquids, which are produced as a by-product of the LNG process.