* First LNG in
* Expected to positively impact Fortuna FLNG, order book
* First LNG export from
* Gazprom's trading arm seen seeking more tankers(Recasts with first LNG export target from
By Oleg Vukmanovic
As the cost of land-based LNG plants more than tripled inthe decade to 2013, Golar pioneered the conversion of ageing LNGtankers into giant refrigerators capable of chilling gas intoits liquid form at minus 162 Celsius.
Natural gas when liquefied can be shipped and sold aroundthe world on tankers, like oil.
By starting up the pilot floating plant in
Success in
Other projects in
All of the 1.2 million tonne annual output from the
The first cargo would be exported in early April using theGalicia Spirit LNG tanker, which Gazprom Marketing & Tradinghas moored off
The trader was chartering a second vessel, the sources said.
Golar LNG gave no indication of when the Hilli would beginexports. It faces a penalty fee for every day delayed beyondlate April. One analyst said the deadline was April 24.
Golar could not immediately be reached for comment.
First LNG deliveries were initially targeted for the secondhalf of 2017.
Golar's project in
Chinese banks' appetite for financing floating LNG importterminal and FLNG investments has waned in response to recentpoor returns and delays, according to one market source.
Ophir aims to take its financial investment decision onFortuna FLNG in the first half of this year, with the help offinancing from a new Asian bank.
The sources said the success of the
(Reporting by Oleg VukmanovicEditing by Jason Neely and Edmund Blair)
