Floating Production, Storage and Offloading

An FPSO is a ship-shaped or barge-shaped offshore facility moored above an oil or gas field. It receives fluids from subsea wells via risers, separates oil/gas/water on board, stores crude in its tanks, and offloads to shuttle tankers every few days. FPSOs are preferred for remote deepwater fields where pipeline export is uneconomical. They may be permanently moored (turret or spread mooring). FLNGs perform an equivalent function for gas fields, producing LNG.