【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Processing Equipment】639-2022: China’s largest and most intelligent cylindrical FPSO ever built

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Witnessing the decade-long rapid development of chemical processing equipment; praising the prosperity and strength of modern China. Replies will be rewarded; discussions are welcome. ------------------------------------------- On the afternoon of November 29, 2022, China’s largest and most advanced cylindrical FPSO (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading unit) – the Penguin FPSO – was completed and delivered in the West Coast New Area. This delivery marks China’s full mastery of the construction and integrated assembly technologies for FPSOs of all types, which is of great significance in helping the country build itself into a manufacturing powerhouse. The Penguin FPSO consists of a hull and an upper module; its total height is 118 meters, equivalent to that of a 42-story building. It weighs around 32,000 tons in total, with an operating weight of 88,000 tons, making it the heaviest cylindrical floating production, storage, and offloading unit ever built in China. The facility has a oil storage capacity of 400,000 barrels, with a crude oil processing capacity of 12.75 million barrels per year and a natural gas processing capacity of 1.24 billion cubic meters per year, sufficient to meet the gas needs of 3.3 million households for one year. The Penguin FPSO is not only large in size, but it is also the offshore oil and gas processing plant with the highest level of automated control, the most comprehensive intelligent data handling capabilities, and the most advanced design concepts available internationally. Through three central control systems – the fire control system, the emergency shutdown system, and the process control system – it is possible to manage the “Sky Net” monitoring systems installed in various locations, thereby enabling precise control over the ship’s production processes. This allows for the automated and intelligent remote operation of on-site equipment without the need to be physically present there. An FPSO integrates functions such as crude oil production, storage, and transportation, and is currently the mainstream production facility for offshore oil and gas development worldwide. Due to its high degree of integration, stringent technical requirements, and great construction difficulties, it is regarded as the \"pearl on the crown\" in the field of ocean engineering. Among them, the cylindrical FPSO boasts significant advantages such as strong resistance to harsh sea conditions, a wide range of suitable water depths, reduced use of steel, and high cost-effectiveness, representing the latest trend in FPSO technology development worldwide. In the rough seas of the North Sea in the UK, the Penguin FPSO can operate without returning to dock for 20 years.