(EnergyAsia, April 25 2013, Thursday) —- Wison Offshore & Marine Ltd, a subsidiary of China’s Wison Group, said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with US engineering firm Black & Veatch to jointly pursue barge-based natural gas liquefaction facility projects on an exclusive basis.

Shanghai-based Wison said it will hold responsibility for barge design and engineering, and overall project management, construction, delivery and financing of the integrated facility. Black & Veatch will provide the basic and detailed LNG plant designs, supply certain LNG equipment and components as well as provide commissioning services and process guarantees. The solution deploys Black & Veatch’s patented PRICO® liquefaction technology.

According to Wison, the agreement formalises a relationship between the two parties developed through their collaboration on the delivery of the first floating LNG liquefaction, storage and regasification facility. Announced last June, this unit is under construction at Wison’s fabrication facility in the Chinese city of Nantong.

Earlier this year, the partners signed an agreement for plans to develop similar units for clients in other markets.

“We are finding that the relationship we established with Black & Veatch on the first floating LNG project has proven to be extremely synergistic,” said L. Dwayne Breaux, Executive Vice President for Wison Offshore & Marine, Ltd.

“Formalising this relationship paves the way for us to continue jointly developing these systems and capitalising on the experience we have collectively gained from working on these ground-breaking projects.”

Robert Germinder, Black & Veatch’s oil and gas vice president, said:

“The industry is awash with news about potential floating LNG facilities while we’re actively building the world’s first. Demand for cleaner, alternative fuel sources is not slowing. With the right technology and approach, production of LNG at sea can become a commercial reality.”