Abstract
The Floating LNG 1 (FLNG 1) project is one of the most audacious and risky projects ever undertaken in recent years. Being the first of its kind in the world, it poses a lot of engineering as well as process safety challenges never before encountered in the industry. Issues like integration between top side systems, hull and marine systems, subsea systems and life support system adds complexity to the project. Limited mechanical handling volume, available escape route and having product inventory stored underneath the process units make it exceptionally difficult to manage escalation of potential hazards and to prepare for contingency measures. To mitigate such a high operating risk, pervasive use of sensors and automation is necessary. As a result, the amount of safety sensors and automation systems required are significantly more than the typical numbers required for a facility of similar size built onshore hence the safety and automation systems have to be thoughtfully designed and thoroughly appraised to ensure high safety integrity without jeopardizing the availability of the facility while keeping space and weight requirement of the facilities within tolerance. This paper highlights the specific strategies and approaches taken by the FLNG 1 project team to overcome the challenges associated with the design and engineering of the safety and automation systems since being the first of its kind in the world there was no reference to learn from.
