RISE OF THE FSRU AND THE LNG MARKET OUTLOOK.

RISE OF THE FSRU AND THE LNG MARKET OUTLOOK

RISE OF THE FSRU AND UPCOMING ORDERS By David Boggs David Boggs is the Managing Director and founder of Energy Maritime Associates, which publishes market leading reports on the floating production industry, including developments requiring FPSOs, FLNGs, FSRUs, Semis, Spars, TLPs, MOPUs, and FSOs. David has 15 years experience in the Offshore Oil & Gas Industry including extensive involvement in numerous FSO and FPSO projects. FSRU contracts have been the bright light in the floating production sector. The first dedicated FSRUs began operation in 2008 and the fleet has grown quickly in size. By 2011 there were seven units installed and this doubled to fourteen units by 2014. Energy Maritime Associates forecasts the fleet could grow by an additional 4 5 units per year through to at least 2020. In addition, there has also been use of an LNG FSO together with onshore or barge based regas facilities. There are currently three LNG FSOs in operation with two more on order. NEWBUILT VS CONVERSION Five of the first six FSRUs were based on converted LNG tankers. However, since 2010, all FSRU orders have been purpose-built units. Five of these units were initially built as LNG regas vessels and are now used as permanent FSRUs. Recently there has been renewed focus on conversions. As the LNG shipping market has deteriorated, older LNG carriers are becoming harder to employ and are therefore seeking alternate use as FSRUs and LNG FSOs. Currently there is an oversupply of LNG carriers, with at least ten 1970s and 1980s-built vessels laid-up with potential plans for conversion to LNG FSOs or FSRUs. In addition, conversion shipyards in Asia, particularly in China and Singapore have capacity for FSRU conversion projects. At the same time, the Korean shipyards that constructed all the new FSRU units are struggling financially. THE END OF SPECULATIVE ORDERS? 13 of the 17 newbuilt units were ordered on speculation and nine have found contracts by delivery, or shortly thereafter. Four FSRUs remain on order without a committed contract. However, as these units are ordered before the project requirements are known, the FSRU may not be a good match with the project. According to Excellerate, a speculative FSRU newbuild priced at $250-300 million USD may be too large for half the projects out there and too small for one-quarter of them. YEAR FSRU UNITS IN OPERATION 2008 2 2009 4 2010 5 2011 7 2012 7 2013 9 2014 14 2015 18 2016 22 2017 27 2018 35 2020 40 9

FSRU OWNERS Currently there are five FSRU owners with units in operation. Four additional companies have units on order. Golar leads the way with eight units, closely followed by Excelerate and Hoegh with seven units each. Excellerate has moved its LNG regas vessels into the FSRU market, while Golar and Hoegh have expanded rapidly by ordering the majority of their FSRUs on speculation. BW Gas and Exmar followed this example and placed speculative orders in 2013 and 2014. New players are also entering the FSRU market, including LNG ship-owners, such as MOL and Gaslog, as well as FPSO contractors like Bumi Armada. THE FUTURE? FSRU orders will be divided between newbuilds, conversions, redeployment of LNG REGAS VESSELS, and regas barges with LNG FSOs. Energy Maritime Associates is tracking 40 projects that could require an FSRU and/or LNG FSO. In the next five years Energy Maritime Associates forecasts: 4 6 orders for newbuilt FSRUs (most will be 170,000m3) 4 6 contracts using existing LNG regas vessels or redeployed FSRUs 5 7 orders for regas barges with LNG FSOs 2 6 orders for converted FSRUs 10

THE GLOBAL FSRU MAP - 2016 AND BEYOND These two interactive maps represent the global fleet of FSRUs in operation, those currently on order and the projects still in the planning phase. This information was kindly provided by Energy Maritime Associates. Click here information about current FSRUs 11