FES International and Orwell Offshore are supplying the external turret system for the Layang FPSO (formerly Deep Producer 1). Credit: FES International.
Orwell Offshore has further contracted Drydocks World to fabricate the external Turret. Credit: Drydocks World.
The Layang field is located approximately 8km east of the producing Helang field, within the same block. Credit: Inpex.

The Layang field is a marginal field located in Block SK10, offshore Sarawak, Malaysia, at a water depth of approximately 90m. The field is located approximately 8km east of the producing Helang gas field within the same block.

The Block SK10 is operated by JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration (Malaysia) with a 75% working interest, while the remaining 25% interest is held by Petronas Carigali, a subsidiary of Petronas.

The field development plan (FDP) for Layang was approved by Petronas in May 2014 and the first production is expected in mid-2016.

Block SK10 discoveries and production details

JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration acquired the Block SK10 in 1987. The Helang field was discovered in 1990 followed by the Layang field in 1991. Production from the Helang field started in November 2003, facilitated by a single central processing platform (HCP).

Production from the Layang field is expected to be combined with those from the neighbouring Helang field for export. The initial gas production capacity from the two fields, following the start of production from the Layang field, is estimated at 100 million standard cubic feet a day (Mmscfd) whereas the combined initial production capacity of condensate from the two fields and oil from the Layang field is estimated to be 7,000 barrels a day.

Layang field development details

The development of the Layang field involves the installation of an unmanned wellhead platform (WHP) connected to the leased Layang floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel via a subsea pipeline.

The natural gas produced from the two fields at the block will be conveyed via approximately 200km of subsea pipelines to the existing Malaysia LNG Tiga’s (MLNG Tiga) liquefaction plant, partly owned by JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, in Bintulu, Sarawak, to convert the gas into liquefied natural gas (LNG) before being exported. The condensate from the two fields including the oil from Layang will be stored in the FPSO and shipped using tankers.

Layang FPSO details

The Layang FPSO (formerly the Deep Producer 1) is owned by Floatech, a subsidiary of TH Heavy Engineering Berhad. The contract for the supply of the FPSO was awarded in the second quarter of 2014 and the lease period for the FPSO is 7.5 years, with ten extension options of one year each.

The vessel will be moored by an external bow-mounted turret system, which will provide the FPSO with permanent mooring and free weather-vaning capabilities and enable the vessel to be redeployed to other sites in the near future.

Contractors involved with the marginal field offshore Sarawak

The front end engineering design (FEED) study for the modification of the Layang FPSO is being performed by Blackstone Process Solutions.

The design, engineering and project management services for the FPSO are being provided by Global Mariner Offshore Services (GMOS) under a subcontract from TH Heavy Engineering Berhad. The atmospheric tanks required for the project are being supplied by Jurunature.

The $40m contract for the supply of the FPSO’s external turret system has been awarded to the consortium of Orwell Offshore and FES International. The former will supply the external turret and mooring system while the latter will supply the fluid transfer system, swivel stack and mechanical components. Orwell has further subcontracted Drydocks World to fabricate the external turret system.

The detailed engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) contract for the field’s facilities has been awarded to SapuraKencana HL.