Liza Unity FPSO begins her voyage to Guyana and becomes world’s first FPSO to receive SUSTAIN-1 class notation

09 Sep 2021

The Liza Unity FPSO started its voyage to Guyana, having departed from Keppel shipyard in Singapore. The FPSO is expected to arrive in Guyana late this year. Once the FPSO arrives at the Liza field in Guyanese waters, she will be hooked up to the seabed, which will then be followed by installation of umbilicals and risers, allowing the next phase of operations to start.

The Liza Unity FPSO has also been awarded the SUSTAIN-1 notation by ABS, the Classification Society. This means that the design and construction of the unit is assessed against and adheres to the requirements of the ABS Guide for Sustainability Notations, aligned with the applicable UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Liza Unity is the world’s first FPSO to achieve such recognition for sustainability for its design, documentation and operational procedures. Examples of features recognized by the SUSTAIN-1 class notation include energy efficiency management, mitigation of ozone depleting substances and management of hazardous materials throughout the life cycle.

Olivier Icyk, Managing Director Floating Production Solutions, commented: “We are pleased to see that the Liza Unity FPSO is ready for the next phase and we look forward to cooperating closely with our client ExxonMobil to ensure that the start-up is a success. We are also very proud to see Liza Unity obtaining the SUSTAIN-1 class notation, the world’s first FPSO to do so. At SBM Offshore we work closely with our clients and our supply chain towards the goal of reducing emissions from our products. This is an important step in our journey to deliver safe, sustainable and affordable energy from the oceans.”

The Liza Unity FPSO is designed to produce approximately 220,000 barrels of oil per day, to have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. The FPSO will be spread moored in water depth of about 1,600 meters and will be able to store around 2 million barrels of crude oil. There are total of 19 topsides modules.

The FPSO represents SBM Offshore’s first Fast4Ward® design, benefitting from standardization of the project`s execution plan and using a fully completed and commissioned MPF hull, which sets the benchmark for future FPSO projects. The project continues to target first oil in 2022, in line with client schedule.


Video by SBM Offshore N.V.


Image by SBM Offshore N.V.




Image by SBM Offshore N.V.


Image by SBM Offshore N.V.

SBM Offshore N.V. press release