Singapore Oil & Gas Projects Worth Watching

Celebrating its sixth year running as the world’s top shipping centre, Singapore has maintained its reputation as the undisputed oil hub in Asia. Showing unwavering strength within the Oil & Gas industry, job opportunities and developments are continuing to pour into Singapore’s world-famous ports.

To keep you up to date, we’ve taken a look at the latest developments in shipping, rigs and refineries, to highlight the Oil & Gas projects in Singapore you should be watching.


1. ExxonMobil Refinery Expansion

Operators: ExxonMobil

Contractors: Tecnicas Reunidas, Wood, Linde

Following a completed upgrade to the production of EHC™ Group II base stocks, ExxonMobil is now investing in a multi-billion dollar expansion of its Singapore refinery in Jurong.

The upgrade is set to further enhance the competitiveness of the Singapore facility, adding 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) to ExxonMobil Group II base stocks and 48,000 bpd of capacity to produce lower-sulfur fuels, allowing the company to meet increasing demand within the Asia-Pacific region.

The project currently houses the world’s only steam cracker capable of cracking crude oil and boasts a crude oil processing capacity of 592,000 b/d, allowing ExxonMobil to convert fuel oil and other bottom-of-the-barrel crude products into higher-value lube base stocks and distillates.

“The demand for high-quality fuels and lubricants will increase as the global economy expands,” said Bryan Milton, president of ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants Company. “By using a combination of proprietary catalyst and process technologies, we will increase the site’s competitiveness and help meet growing demand for high-performance lubricants and cleaner fuels.”

To facilitate the expansion, ExxonMobil awarded a long-term contract to Linde PLC to provide gasification for the Singapore facility. As part of the agreement, Linde will invest $1.4 billion in expanding its existing gasification compound at Jurong Island, fully integrating it with ExxonMobil’s facility to produce and supply additional hydrogen and synthesis gas.

ExxonMobil previously agreed contracts with Tecnicas Reunidas SA, to deliver construction, engineering, and construction activities on the project, in tandem with a contract to Wood Group to supply EPC services - interconnecting pipelines and supporting infrastructure installations for the expansion.

With Tecnicas Reunidas already undertaking its EPC activities on the expansion, ExxonMobil has stated it expects the project to be completed and ready for startup in 2023.


2. Karish-Tanin FPSO

Operators: Energean Oil & Gas

Contractors: TechnipFMC, Sembcorp, COSCO

Energean’s latest Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit is being developed in Singapore before sailing to their Karish and Tanin development in Israel.

The large-scale FPSO will have a gas treatment capacity of 800 MMscf/day (8 BCM/per annum) and liquids storage capacity of 800,000 bbls. The new-build unit is based on an existing design and will utilise a spread mooring system to reduce technical risks on the field.

Development of the vessel began last year when first steel was cut at the COSCO yard in Zhoushan, China, on Monday November 26, 2018. Following an estimated 12 months of development in China, the hull will be transported to the Sembcorp Admiralty Yard in Singapore in late 2019 for installation of the Siemens-built topsides.

Energean has contracted TechnipFMC under a turnkey, lump sum EPCIC contract to provide the full suite of FPSO and SURF services during the construction phase and TechnipFMC has subcontracted COSCO to provide the FPSO hull. The project will provide employment opportunities for local engineers and expats within Singapore.

The vessel is expected to sail away from the yard in Singapore in late 2020 and remain stationed offshore at the Karish and Tanin development ahead of first gas in 2021.


3. Neste Refinery Expansion

Operators: Neste

Contractors: TechnipFMC

Another major refinery project taking place this year, is the expansion to the Neste Singapore biofuel refinery.

Extending their existing facility within the Tuas industrial area, Neste is investing 1.5 billion dollars (1.4b euros) in growing the facility to enhance their biofuel refinery capabilities.

Neste’s Singapore refinery currently produces the world’s cleanest renewable diesel, providing up to 90% lower GHG emissions compared to conventional diesel over its life cycle.

Last year, TechnipFMC was awarded a major contract to supply Engineering, Procurement and Construction services to build the new Neste biofuel refinery, in Singapore.

The highly-reputable EPC business originally built Neste’s existing biofuel refinery, which opened back in 2011. During the peak of construction, around 5,000 employees worked on site to complete the project, employing contractors from the Singapore region and expats from 12 other countries around the world.

The ongoing development will further cement Neste as the world’s largest producer of renewable fuels from waste and residues, increasing their current an annual production capacity of 2.7 million tons.

Neste’s development of clean alternatives to fossil fuels represents a huge step for Singapore's growing commitment to reducing emissions, mirroring the Singapore government’s recent announcement to unconditionally reduce total greenhouse emissions intensity by 36 per cent by 2030.

As well as providing a step forward in environmental responsibility, the expansion project is also anticipated to have a positive impact on oil & gas and engineering employment within the country, as over 6,000 contractors projected to be hired during the 2.5 year development.

You can read more about the NESTE refinery expansion here: https://www.firstrecruitmentgroup.com/clients/oil-gas-business-news/client-spotlight-technipfmc-and-neste-biofuel-refinery-singapore

4. Liza Phase 2

Operators: ExxonMobil (Esso Exploration) / Hess Corporation

Contractors: SBM Offshore, Dyna-Mac

Following the ceremonious launch of the Liza Destiny FPSO from Keppel's Singapore yard in June, ExxonMobil is already developing the second phase of the project for offshore Guyana.

Another exciting oil project headed by ExxonMobil and Hess Corporation, ‘Liza Phase 2’ will produce up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day and further capitalize on the noteworthy potential of the Stabroek Block in Guyana, where ExxonMobil has estimated it will be producing more than 750,000 barrels of oil per day by 2025.

Liza Phase 2 will also have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. Similarly to the Karish-Tanin FPSO, Liza Phase 2 will be spread moored in water with depth of about 1,600 meters and will be able to store up to 2 million barrels of crude oil.

Singapore-based Dyna-Mac Engineering has been awarded a second contract to develop Liza Phase 2 in Singapore following their successful work on Liza Destiny. The company will be working on the topside modules for the 220,000 bpd vessel following construction of the hull at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding in China.

ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has awarded the company contracts SBM Offshore to perform Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) for Liza Phase 2.

Liza Phase 2 is expected to cost $6 billion, including a lease capitalization cost of approximately $1.6 billion, for the Liza Unity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.

Are you looking for job opportunities in Singapore?

With such large scale Oil & Gas projects in Singapore, job opportunities are on the rise.

If you are looking for engineering or Oil & Gas roles in Singapore, our team can help. You can browse our latest jobs vacancies or email your details and CV to singapore@firstrg.com.

For more details about our Singapore recruitment team, check out our capability brochure here.

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