Golar starts commercial operations at GTA, evaluating fourth FLNG options

Golar LNG Ltd.’s 2.7-million tonne/year (tpy) floating LNG (FLNG) plant Gimi reached commercial operations earlier this month, triggering the start of a 20-year lease and operate agreement on the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project offshore Mauritania and Senegal.

bp PLC (56%) operates GTA with its partners Kosmos Energy Ltd. (27%), and the state hydrocarbon companies of Senegal (Petrosen, 10%) and Mauritania (SMH, 7%). GTA contains more than 15 tcf of potentially recoverable natural gas, according to Kosmos.

Earlier this year, Golar chartered two FLNG for work in Argentina to serve as part of Southern Energy’s gas export development in the Gulf of San Matías, including a 3.5-million tpy MKII vessel under construction at CIMC Raffles shipyard in Shandong, China (OGJ Online, May 5, 2025). This plant is expected to arrive in Argentina in 2028 and operate alongside MKI Hilli Episeyo, which is expected to begin operations in early 2027. 

Golar is now evaluating options for a fourth floater, having signed a final engineering study to confirm the engineering, procurement, and construction price of building and delivering a 5-million tpy MKIII option. The company is also updating price and schedule for potential delivery of a third 2.7-million tpy MKI as its fourth operating FLNG unit.