Objective There are substantial economic, safety and environmental advantages in liquefying the natural gas on an offshore production platform and offloading it to a shuttle gas carrier. Such a system is usually referred to as floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) . FLNG systems have been considered globally as a development option for a number of offshore gas fields, but due to perceived operational difficulties none has yet been developed. This project addresses some of the major operational difficulties of thes e systems. The environmental winds, waves and currents excite the vessel motions that limit FLNG operations. If the weather windows that allow production and offloading are sufficient, the system has the potential to work safely and efficiently, and the economic benefit of FLNG can be realised. The main objective of this project is to maximise the weather windows during which FLNG platforms can be offloaded. Accordingly, an optimised hull design and an active heading control strategy will be considered to reduce motion levels. This will maximise the safety and efficiency of the offloading operation and minimise the possibility of collision or breakage of cryogenic lines. The capability to predict the behaviour of vessels during offloading will be furth er developed, leading to an improved capability to make the best, rational, real-time, risk-based decisions on whether to proceed with approach and offloading. Improved understanding of the physical processes that govern the vessel motions during offloa ding and improved ability to analyse the offloading process for design will be developed. A prototype of a decision support system that monitors continuously the environment and combines this information with weather forecasts and simulations of vessel m otions will be developed. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesmeteorologyengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraftengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfossil energynatural gasnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssimulation software Keywords Gas Liquid Liquid Natural Gas Natural Programme(s) FP6-SUSTDEV - Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems: thematic priority 6 under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) SUSTDEV-2 - Sustainable surface transport Call for proposal FP6-2003-TRANSPORT-3 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator SHELL INTERNATIONAL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION BV EU contribution No data Address Carel van Bylandtlaan, 30 663 THE HAGUE Netherlands See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO Portugal EU contribution No data Address Avenida Rovisco Pais LISBON See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data DHI INSTITUT FOR VAND OG MILJOE Denmark EU contribution No data Address Agern Alle 5 HOERSHOLM See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data DET NORSKE VERITAS Norway EU contribution No data Address Veritasveien 1 HOEVIK See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address South Kensington Campus LONDON See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data NOBLE DENTON CONSULTANTS LTD United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Noble House, 39 Tabernacle Street LONDON See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address University Offices, Wellington Square OXFORD See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data LISNAVE ESTALEIROS NAVAIS SA Portugal EU contribution No data Address Lisnave - Estaleiro de Mitrena 135 SETUBAL See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data OCEAN WAVE ENGINEERING LIMITED United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address 5 Pine Walk LISS, HAMPSHIRE See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data