FLNG—a quiet revolution
Shell and Petronas pushed the technology first, but African developers are poised to transform the continent into an FLNG production hub
The time has come to find out if liquefaction for floating liquefied natural gas is all it's cracked up to be. Several high-profile projects are in development—and one of the principal test beds will be sub-Saharan Africa, now a magnet for investment in the fledgling sector. Two of the world's first major FLNG projects are elsewhere—Petronas's PFLNG Satu facility, capable of processing 1.2m tonnes a year, is already operating in Malaysia, and Shell's giant 3.6m-t/y Prelude project should start production offshore Western Australia next year. But around 30% of global capital expenditure on FLNG over the next six years is planned for projects operating in Africa. Engineers are confident the te
Also in this section
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions
22 January 2026
As Saudi Arabia pushes mining as a new pillar of its economy, Saudi Aramco is positioning itself at the intersection of hydrocarbons, minerals and industrial policy
22 January 2026
New long-term deal is latest addition to country’s rapidly evolving supply portfolio as it eyes role as regional gas hub
