The World's Biggest FPSO is Launched by Hyundai Heavy Industries

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has launched the world’s biggest floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) ship for Total’s Usan field off Nigeria. The Usan FPSO can refine 160,000 barrels of oil and 5 million cubic metres of gas daily, which has storage for 2 million barrels of oil. HHI said the FPSO will sail out for Nigeria following trial runs in South Korea.

This FPSO has 320m long, 61m wide, 32m high and weighs 116,000 tons. It is preferred in the offshore industry as they are easy to install and do not require pipelines to export oil and gas.

The three-dimensional simulation during module installation to assess risks and drydock loading of four sets of topside modules are a paradigm shift in the industry, shortening construction time by up to a month and increasing reliability and worker safety.

Usan FPSO will sail out for the Usan Field at the end of March 2011. Usan Field is located 100km south of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The Usan Field was discovered in 2002 and began development in 2008 with Total as the operator. Development drilling commenced in June 2009, and production startup is projected for 2012.

HHI has 10 supersize FPSOs, each with 2 million barrels or more storage capacity, for oil majors worldwide since1996. Currently, HHI has a 60% market share in the burgeoning supersize FPSO business.

For more than three decades HHI has been accomplishing things thought to be theoretically and scientifically impossible. These accomplishments are due to the company's unwavering determination and endless efforts. The company is an integrated heavy industries company with business divisions specializing in shipbuilding, engine and machinery, offshore and engineering, industrial plant and engineering, electro electric systems, and construction equipment.