(Adds engineer quotes, impact on shipping markets fromparagraph 5)
By Oleg Vukmanovic
MILAN, May 22 (Reuters) - Angola's new liquefied natural gas(LNG) export project aims to charter out its entire tanker fleetfor at least a couple of months after a major rupture on a flareline crippled output at the $10 billion plant last month.
The project partners led by U.S. oil major Chevron have approached shipbrokers to charter out all seven LNGcarriers dedicated to Angola's liquefaction facility, threesources said.
One of the tankers has already been chartered to a shipperand is due to load a cargo in Nigeria soon.
"The other ships are currently being discussed ... some ofthe charters being discussed are at least until July or August,"one of the sources said.
Another source said Angola LNG had expressed interest inlocking in any charters that become available.
"But they have been very vague about how long they cancharter out the ships," that source said.
Last month's rupture of a flare line at Angola LNG was thelatest in a string of production setbacks since the plantstarted production in June 2013.
Operator Chevron has struggled with electrical fires, rigcapsizes, pipelines leaks and operator errors at the site.
It remains uncertain for how long the plant will remain outof service as engineers take stock of the outstanding technicalchallenges before repairs can begin, sources at the site said.
SHIPPING RATES IMPACT
The unexpected addition of so much new shipping capacity ispressuring already weak rental rates, a senior shipping sourcesaid.
"The day rate on round-trip vessel charters has slippedbelow $60,000 and the Angolan vessels are contributing to thatslide ... their presence in the market is delaying any hopes ofa recovery," he said.
LNG shipping rates have been declining for months due to anoversupply of ships as well as a sharp reduction inAtlantic-Pacific trade flows because of weak demand in Asia.
Chevron has a 36.4 percent share in the Angolan plant, whileAngolan state oil firm Sonangol has 22.8 percent. Otherstakeholders include Total, BP and ENI. (editing by Jane Baird)
BP (BP.)
