US-based Fluor has won the front-end engineering and design contract for the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s (Egat) planned liquefied natural gas floating storage regasification unit in Thailand, writes Amanda Battersby.

Egat is proposing a 5 million tonnes per annum FSRU that will be deployed in the upper Gulf of Thailand, near to existing pipeline infrastructure that supplies feedstock from fields in the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area to its gas plants. PTT, the former Petroleum Authority of Thailand, is teaming up with Egat for what is expected to be the country’s first FSRU.

Egat is currently preparing the environmental impact assessment report and acquiring permits from relevant government agencies for the LNG import project.

Once the state-owned outfit obtains the approval for EIA and permits, the FSRU project will then go ahead.

Regasified volumes from the FSRU, to be located 20 kilometres offshore, will be piped to Egat’s South Bangkok and North Bangkok power plants.

Fluor’s workscope includes the FSRU, marine berth and jetty, and onshore and offshore pipeline connections.

The FEED work is expected to be completed by the middle of 2018, while the FSRU is expected to enter operation in 2024 or 2025.

“In addition to our extensive FSRU and liquefied natural gas project experience, we have a proud history of executing some of Thailand’s most prominent oil and gas projects,” said Ken Choudhary, president of Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals business for the Asia-Pacific region.

Egat officials say the company’s initial study work has already demonstrated the technical and economic viability of the proposed 5 million tpa FSRU and its ability to operate the project.

The LNG import project has the blessing of Thailand’s National Energy Policy Committee as it would both strengthen supply security and bring reasonably priced electricity to consumers.

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Fluor lands FEED contract for Egat's Gulf of Thailand FSRU