What Are FPSO Vessels? How They Work and Their Advantages

In the oil and gas industry, FPSO vessels have become one of the crucial facilities, especially if a company does not have underwater pipelines. FPSO, or Floating Production Storage and Offloading, is a floating vessel located near the offshore oil fields.

This facility stores oil and processes it so that it is ready to be transferred to tanker ships and distributed to other industries. This article talks about FPSO vessels in oil mining. So, read the information below until the end!

What Are FPSO Vessels?

FPSO, or Floating Production Storage and Offloading, is a type of vessel that processes and stores natural gas and crude oil until they can eventually be transferred to tanker ships for further procedures.

FPSO vessels can be supertankers or vessels specially built to receive, produce, and store crude oil. These vessels are generally equipped with double hulls and production equipment to process crude oil immediately after receiving it.

FPSO has become one of the crucial elements in the oil and gas industry, especially if the mining area does not have underwater pipelines or is located far away from the beach. According to Statista, 56 FPSO vessels are operating between 2022–2027 globally.

This ship will be very useful for new offshore oil fields that do not have pipeline infrastructure or remote oil fields. With FPSO vessels, tanker ships do not need to stay long in the mining area to wait for oil production.

Another benefit of FPSO vessels is that when the oil field is unused, this ship can be moved to other oil fields. Indonesia's first FPSO vessel was launched in 2024, named the FPSO Marlin Natuna. This vessel is a tanker ship converted into an FPSO.

The Components of FPSO Vessels

FPSO vessels have some important components working to process and store crude oil, such as:

1. Upper Deck

The upper deck is a production area and contains equipment, such as gas compression, water treatment, and so on. The upper deck also has a control room, a helicopter deck, and a personnel room.

2. Risers

Risers are channels for moving gas and liquids from the underwater well to the vessel. Risers help FPSO vessels move side to side or up and down by absorbing movements that could shift the vessel’s position.

3. Anchoring System

The anchoring system works to hold the ships from tides and winds that can affect the production process. This system is usually in the form of mooring lines, connectors, and anchors.

4. Turret

The turret functions to follow the ocean currents and wind direction. This element is connected to the seabed, making the ship remain stable even when tossed about by currents and winds.

5. Storage Tank

This tank works to store crude oil before being delivered to the tanker ships. Usually, this tank is located in the hull.

6. Offload System

This system transfers crude oil from a storage tank to tanker ships using flexible pipes. After being delivered to the tankers, the oil will be transferred to the land transports.

7. Power Generation System

The power generation system works to supply electricity and enables all equipment to function optimally. This system is usually powered by natural gas, diesel, or gas from a hydrocarbon separation process.

How Do FPSO Vessels Work?

The FPSO vessel begins its operation by receiving hydrocarbons from underwater pipelines. The hydrocarbons are separated into water, gas, and oil. These compounds are then transferred to the production inlet line, consisting of separation equipment.

The separated crude oil is stored in tanks. These tanks are then transferred to tankers for distribution to other industries, sent to refining facilities, used as ship fuel, or converted into power plant fuel.

Advantages of FPSO Vessels

FPSO vessels are now getting popular since they are more cost-effective than conventional offshore platforms. This is because the company does not need to build subsea pipeline infrastructure and crude oil processing equipment, thanks to their installed machinery on the ship.

This ship is suitable for any water depth, can adapt to natural conditions, and is designed specially to stand stable in the location for 20 years or more. This flexibility makes them more favorable to oil and gas companies.

Moreover, this ship has more safety and capacity than conventional facilities. FPSO vessels can be moved from one oil field to another, making the operational process efficient.

The Differences Between FPSO and FSO Vessels

FPSOs are often compared to FSOs, or Floating Storage and Offloading vessels. Then, what is the difference between FPSO and FSO vessels? FPSO vessels are used to process, store, and distribute oil and gas. Meanwhile, FSOs are only used to store and distribute them.

Additionally, FPSOs have more complex facilities because they have crude oil processing facilities on board. Since FSOs do not process crude oil, their facilities are simpler. Aside from that, FPSOs need more operational costs because of facility maintenance, while FSOs have lower operational costs because their main job is to store and transport crude oil.

That is the information about FPSO vessels, including the advantages and components. This ship has a crucial role in the crude oil and natural gas processing and distribution.

Regarding oil and gas distribution, Chandra Asri Group, through PT Chandra Shipping International and PT Marina Indah Maritim, provides logistic solutions with 9 chemical and gas ships of 106,650 DWT capacity. This amount can increase as time goes by.

In addition to ships, Chandra Asri Group also operates land logistics through PT SCG Barito Logistics and PT Chandra Cold Chain. These services include inter-island transportation, sea freight services, export and import facilities, and customs. Currently, we have 155 trucks and warehouses in Java and Cilegon.

So, entrust your chemical and gas logistics needs to Chandra Asri Group!