Japan’s Inpex has kicked off the long-awaited parallel FEED (Front End Engineering and Design) competition for the Floating LNG facility planned for its Abadi LNG Project offshore Indonesia.

The dual FLNG FEED contracts were awarded by the company’s subsidiary Inpex Masela Ltd. to two groups – one lead by JGC Corporation/PT JGC Indonesia, and the other by PT Saipem Indonesia/Saipem. These groups will conduct their FEEDs in parallel in the design competition, with one of them to eventually be selected as the winner and move on into the full FLNG EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) phase.

Inpex says the FLNG EPC contract winner will be the one that “provides technical and commercial superiority based on its overall design solution for the FLNG facility”.

The Abadi FLNG facility will be located in the Masela block. FEEDs for the SURF packages were announced in November last year.

The launch of the FLNG FEED work, says Inpex, means the project is now fully underway with the overall engineering work for the future development of the large gas field.

Inpex is the operator of the project with a 60% interest, with Shell Upstream Overseas Services (I) Ltd. holding 30% and PT EMP Energi Indonesia 10%.

The decision was taken in December 2010 to approve Stage 1 of the LNG development for Abadi using an FLNG concept, with one liquefaction unit having a production capacity of 2.5 MM tonnes per annum, as well as a production capacity of 8,400 b/d of condensate.

The gas field is forecast to produce 2.5 MM tonnes per year of LNG for more than 30 years

The JCG-led consortium features the partners PT JGC Indonesia, PT Technip Indonesia, PT Technip Engineering Indonesia, Technip France and Modec.

The Saipem-led consortium features PT Saipem Indonesia, Saipem s.a, PT Chiyoda International Indonesia, Chiyoda Corp., PT Tripatra Engineering, PT Tripatra Engineers and Constructors, PT Rekayasa Industri, and SBM Inc.

- Wood Group Kenny has been awarded a US $8.6m FEED contract by Inpex Masela for the Abadi LNG project. The company will carry out the FEED of the major subsea production facilities for the FLNG development in the Arafura Sea. Wood Group Kenny in Indonesia, supported by the Wood Group Kenny offices in Perth and Melbourne, will perform the study work for 12 months, with work already underway. This will involve performing a comprehensive engineering workscope for the subsea, umbilical, riser and flowline systems, including subsea structures and equipment.