What is the difference between FSO, FPSO and FLNG?

FLNG processes natural gas into liquids, while FSO is only for raw oil storage, unlike FPSO, which can both process and store both materials.

While they’re both vessels and used for ocean areas, they have a lot of differences and uses.

The Basic Differences Between FSO, FPSO, and FLNG

These three are both vessels used for the oil and gas industries.

But looking deeper and analyzing the following basic characteristics will help you see their difference.

Definition

FSO stands for floating storage and offloading, these are vessels that store raw oil that it collects from other factories at sea.

Meanwhile, FPSO, or floating production storage and offloading, is meant to produce and store processed oil from underwater extraction wells.

FLNG is also known as floating liquefied natural gas because this vessel stores, produces, and turns the natural gas into liquids.

Purpose and Application

FSO is a vessel that keeps raw oil from other ocean-fixed factories before transferring it to a shuttle tanker for land facilities.

While FPSO vessels have many purposes compared to FSO because this vessel can do the following:

• Clean oil
• Produce oil
• Store oil and gas
• Release oil and gas
• Collecting oil from underwater
• Giving processed oils to shuttle tankers to deliver them to land facilities

FLNG has a similar purpose and function to FPSO, but it only collects and produces natural gas before turning it into liquids for storage. 

Type of Hydrocarbon it Handles

FPSO handles both oil and natural gas because of its multiple processing machines.

FSO is also capable of managing both hydrocarbons, but only for storage.

While FLNG handles only natural gas.

Let’s delve deeper!

Comparing the three can be very confusing, as they’re both vessels that oil and gas companies use.

Don’t panic, because we will dig deeper into their unique characteristics to further help you!

We will look into the following to further differentiate our three reliable vessels:

Actual operation

Focusing on what these three vessels do every day in our ocean can help us effortlessly recognize them. 

That’s why we will look into their daily operation!

FSO

The vessel is near an oil or gas well and collects it through pipes from other ocean facilities, like:

• FPSO
• Subsea templates
• Compliant towers
• Tension-leg platforms

The raw oil is kept in storage before being unloaded onto a shuttle tanker to land facilities.

FPSO

The FPSO vessels collect raw oil and gas from underwater wells through pipes called “risers.”

The different liquids will go to a different processing machine to separate them and clean the oil before storing them.

Then FPSO can use the natural gas as fuel while it transfers the processed oil to shuttle tankers for land facilities. 

FLNG 

It gathers raw gas from ocean areas and cools it to -160°C to turn it into liquid or liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The liquified gas will be kept in a special tank before LNG carriers bring it to the land facilities.

Still want to learn how FLNG works? We just have a video for you!

Advantages and Disadvantages

Analyzing their specialties will also greatly help us to distinguish the three from each other!

FSO

This vessel is simpler and more affordable than FPSO because it only stores and unloads natural oil. 

Another advantage is that they’re not fixed facilities, which lets them move to different ocean areas. 

However, they can’t process natural gas or oil, and they also rely on other ocean facilities like FPSO to get those hydrocarbons. 

FPSO

It is like FLNG, but FPSO has a wider application because it can process and store both natural gas and oil.

So, it may be cheaper and ideal for deep-water areas where pipelines connected to land are difficult.

Unfortunately, it had a difficult structure and processing machines for the different liquids it collected, which required high maintenance.

FLNG

FLNG’s flexibility makes it less expensive because it allows it to change locations to look for different underwater gas wells. 

Furthermore, it has large cryogenic storage containers that can store and transfer liquefied gas.

But it only stores natural gas and needs expensive, specific machines to turn those into liquids.

Bonus: The Role of the Ball Valve 

Pipes are a common component you can see on vessels like FPSO because they handle liquids. 

Before we forget, did you know ball valves are one of the pieces of equipment those pipes need?

That’s why a ball valve factory, GOWIN, is here to provide those because they know they have big roles or advantages for vessels, including:

Durable and Strong

Ball valves are known for their strength and long service to many projects.

They’re made from strong materials that can handle high pressure, like: 

• Alloys
• Carbon steels
• Stainless steels

Besides the FPSO ball valve’s efficient and simple structure, it’s great and reliable for handling different dangerous materials.

On and Off Operations

FPSO ball valves have quick on-and-off actions, which is ideal for vessels that usually manage dangerous liquids.

It is because it has a rotating ball with a hole in the middle of it.

So, its simple design makes it quicker at blocking the liquid path as well as opening it. 

FPSO, FLNG, and FSO: In a Nutshell

You can differentiate the three vessels by analyzing their unique characteristics, such as:

• Purpose 
• Definition
• Application
• Actual operation
• The type of hydrocarbon it handles
• Its advantages and disadvantages

They can be very different from each other, but they’re the most reliable partners in the gas and oil industries.

Have more questions or want something to share? Don’t hesitate to leave us a message!