Floating LNG
Prelude is Shell’s first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, an offshore development that produces natural gas from a remote field off the coast of Western Australia.
Global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) is forecast to rise by around 60% by 2040, according to the Shell LNG Outlook 2025.
Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) technology is complementary to conventional onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it helps to accelerate the development of gas resources to meet the world’s growing demand.
How does FLNG technology work?
FLNG technology makes the production, liquefaction and storage of natural gas possible at sea. LNG is transferred directly from the floating facility to specific carriers for convenient shipping to countries around the world.
Natural gas is produced from underwater fields then processed and chilled to -162° C (-260° F). This shrinks its volume by 600 times to create LNG. The advanced design of an FLNG facility packs a typical land-based LNG plant into a fraction of its normal size.
Into reality: Prelude FLNG
Prelude is an operational floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, located offshore, north-east of Broome, in Western Australia. It is designed to extract, liquefy and store natural gas at sea, before it is transferred and shipped to customers.
Prelude has been designed to remain moored in the field for at least 25 years. It began production in December 2018 and offloaded the first LNG cargo in June 2019.
The Prelude FLNG story in film
Mooring Prelude
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Title: Mooring prelude
Duration: 5:03 minutes
Description:
A short video showcasing the mooring of leg number eight on Shell’s Prelude, the largest floating facility ever built, to make it storm safe.
[Background music plays]
Rhythmic instrumental music featuring synthesised musical effects
[Video footage]
Wide-angled view of a rigging crew doing a series of exercises to get their muscles warmed up.
[Voiceover]
200 kilometres off the coast of north-western Australia, a rigging crew is about to start the day.
[Video footage]
Shot panning left to right of a rigging crew standing in a circle formation. Close-up of the crew leader addressing the crew. Close-up of several of the crew members. Back to close-up of the crew leader.
[Crew Leader]
We are up to mooring leg number eight. Don’t become complacent. We’re halfway through it. We’ll get the next eight done safely.
[Voiceover]
But this is no ordinary day at the office because they are about to moor the largest floating facility ever built.
[Video footage]
Shot taken over the ocean, panning upwards, bringing the Prelude into view at dawn. Aerial shot of the Prelude and three tugs, text appearing at the bottom.
[Text displays]
Mooring Prelude
[Video footage]
Close-up of the Prelude hull, panning upwards. Wide-angled view of Damian Wake walking on the Prelude. Close-up of Damian talking whilst he continues walking. Reverse-angled shot of Damian walking. Wide-angled view of Damian walking and talking, looking straight into the camera.
[Damian Wake]
Like, it is absolutely fantastic. I mean, I’ve had, what, four or five years I’ve been thinking about the mooring system. To now actually be here pulling these things in, fantastic. I am absolutely stoked, honestly.
[Voiceover]
At 660,000 tonnes when fully loaded, Prelude weighs six times more than the largest aircraft carriers in the world, and it will operate in an area known for extreme weather conditions.
[Video footage]
Aerial shot of the Prelude during daytime. Zoom in slowly. Shot of fast-moving, dark clouds.
Interview with Damian Wake
[Text displays]
Damian Wake
Offshore Installation Lead
[Title]
Offshore Installation Lead
Damian Wake
The need for this mooring system to work is critical. We could hit the cyclones and this mooring system will hold us in place.
[Video footage]
Close-up of Damian speaking to off-screen interviewer against an out-of-focus background on the Prelude.
[Voiceover]
To do that, the project team has created one of the strongest mooring systems ever built. Deep inside Prelude is a turret that allows the facility to rotate or weathervane. Beneath Prelude, one of the largest chains in the world. Nearly 25,000 links attached to mooring piles drilled deep into the ocean floor. Now the team is preparing to connect chain number eight, making Prelude officially storm safe.
[Video footage]
Shot panning left to right taken at sea of a tug sailing away from the Prelude. To the right of the Prelude is another tug.
[Animation]
Animation of the Prelude set against a backdrop of blue sky with white clouds. Underneath the water surface, a series of chains. In the top left-hand corner, a logo and text reading TechnipFMC.
[Video footage]
Sped-up sequence showing the turret being brought over to the Prelude and placed onto it using a series of cranes. Sped-up sequence via an overhead shot of the turret being lowered into place while various engineers look on. Wide-angled view of some large machinery making chain links. Close-up of a chain link being welded into shape. Wide-angled view of a production facility with a large pile of chain links in the foreground. Side-angled shot of a mooring pile suspended to a crane-like structure, ready to be lowered into the ocean. Overhead shot panning down slowly of a mooring pile.
[Animation]
Animation of the Deep Orient lowering a section of chain into the ocean. In the bottom right-hand corner, text reading Technip. Animation below the sea surface showing the chain being lowered. Animation of a chain being hauled as the yellow socket locks it into place.
[Damian Wake]
And what’s absolutely incredible about this, they’ll be pulling in [CDTS1] one or two links that they’ve already predetermined during the pre-lay, which is quite an incredible feat of engineering and installation.
[Video footage]
Close-up of Damian talking to off-screen interviewer against an out-of-focus background on the Prelude.
[Voiceover]
The operation to moor Prelude begins with the rigging team making the steep descent into the bowels of the turret. Outside, three tugs are holding Prelude in position. The crew on the Deep Orient has retrieved the mooring line. On Prelude, a giant winch is standing by to haul in the chain, and the engineers are ready to monitor each and every move. Everything is in place.
[Video footage]
Wide-angled shot panning left to right of three tugs and the Prelude at dawn. Wide-angled shot taken inside the turret showing an engineer climbing down a ladder. Close-up of an engineer climbing down a ladder into the turret. Close-up of three chains, panning left, bringing several engineers who are talking into focus. Wide-angled view of the three tugs holding the Prelude in position. Shot panning left to right of the Deep Orient. Close-up of the giant winch on the Deep Orient. Shot of two operators sitting in a cabin on the Deep Orient monitoring the winch. Close-up panning upwards of two engineers in a room with lots of papers and radios in front of them. Aerial shot of the Prelude showing its two helidecks.
[Damian Wake]
All positioned, ready to go, so it’s now up to the team on-board to finish the job.
[Video footage]
Close-up of Damian speaking to off-screen interviewer. Close-up of the crew leader and a member of the rigging crew. Reverse-angled shot of two crew members inside the turret. Close-up of the crew leader talking into his radio. Shot of two operators sitting in a cabin on the Deep Orient monitoring the winch, one the men speaks into a radio.
[Crew leader]
Yellow winch pay in, easy.
[Operator]
Yes, pay in five metres.
[Video footage]
Close-up of the winch starting to turn. Shot of a chain beginning to be lowered into the ocean, two members of the rigging crew to the side. Aerial shot of the Deep Orient.
[Damian Wake]
This is the main event. We are pulling in the chains one by one and connecting them off. This is the culmination of years of planning to bring this to a head. Awesome, absolutely awesome.
[Video footage]
Close-up shot of the chain being lowered taken from an underwater camera. Text on the bottom displaying coordinates, depth and altitude data.
[Text displays]
E: 534396.9 N: 8475845.8
HDG: 270.5 DEPTH: 57.9 ALT: 0.0
[Video footage]
Close-up of Damian talking to off-screen interviewer inside the turret. In the background, two rigging crew members. Aerial shot of the Deep Orient and the Prelude. Close-up of the crew leader speaking into his radio.
[Crew leader]
Remazel winch, copy. Yes, what loads have we got on the winch at the moment?
[Voiceover]
Slowly but surely the winch hauls in the chain.
[Video footage]
Close-up of the chain being hauled in. Close-up, side-angled view of an engineer speaking into a radio while closely watching a laptop showing the chain being hauled in. Side-angled view of the two operators on the Deep Orient operating the winch.
[Engineer]
Winch good to go another four metres. Pay in four metres.
[Operator]
Yeah mate, coming up.
[Voiceover]
And it begins to emerge.
[Video footage]
Sped-up sequence taken from overhead inside the turret. Close-up of deep blue water. Close-up of the crew leader speaking straight into the camera.
[Crew leader]
You can probably see the yellow socket just over the side here.
[Video footage]
Wide-angled shot taken inside the turret, just under the surface of the water a yellow socket starts to come into view. Close-up of two members of the rigging crew. Close-up taken from an underwater camera of the chain being hauled upwards through the chain connector. Reverse-angled shot of an engineer, out-of-focus, looking at a laptop showing the chain and chain connector. Back to the underwater close-up of the chain connector. Close-up of Damian talking to off-screen interviewer in the turret whilst gesticulating with his hands.
[Damian Wake]
That bang you just heard are as the chain comes through the chain connector, the engineers are looking for a particular link and that’s when they know they are, they’ve pulled the chain into the right length and that is what then holds us in place to the seabed.
[Video footage]
Reverse-angled view of a rigging crew member in the turret looking upwards. Close-up, reverse-angled view of a rigging crew member looking down at the pool in the turret. Close-up of the chain being hauled up slowly out of the water. Close-up of the winch turning. Close-up taken from an underwater camera of the socket locking the chain into place. Close-up of the crew leader speaking into his radio.
[Voiceover]
A final turn of the winch… and the last link locks into place.
[Crew leader]
Dive control, turret.
[Engineer]
Copy.
[Crew leader]
Confirm please that the golden links are sitting nicely.
[Engineer]
Yes, that’s correct.
[Crew leader]
Yes, understood. We’re clear to release the load.
[Engineer]
All stop on the main winch.
[Operator]
That’s all stop, mate. All stop.
[Video footage]
Close-up of an engineer talking into his radio. Back to close-up of the crew leader talking into his radio. Close-up taken from an underwater camera of the socket. Back to close-up of the crew leader talking into his radio. Close-up shot panning left to right of two engineers looking at a laptop, one engineer speaking into a radio. Side-angled view of the Deep Orient operators operating the winch, one of them talking into a radio.
[Voiceover]
And with the eighth mooring line connected, Prelude is storm safe.
[Video footage]
Aerial view of the Prelude, the Deep Orient and the three tugs. Shot of several members of the rigging crew in the turret shaking hands, congratulating each other. Close-up of the two engineers fist-bumping.
[Engineer]
Making history.
[Video footage]
Side-angled view of the two Deep Orient operators high-fiving, then one pats the other on the back. Close-up of a chain link, going out-of-focus. Coming into focus as seen through the opening of the chain link, several rigging crew members still inside the turret. Reverse-angled view of the crew leader inside the turret looking over to the other side of the pool where members of the rigging crew are still at work. Close-up of Damian speaking straight into the camera.
[Damian Wake]
So this is one of the 16 mooring lines that will secure the Prelude facility to the seabed for the next 25 years. This is number eight, so we’re not going anywhere. This is fantastic. Great job. Thank you very much.
[Video footage]
Close-up of several chains and their sockets underwater. Shot of Damian shaking hands with the rigging crew leader. They both turn towards the camera and give two thumbs up. Aerial shot of the Prelude, Deep Orient and the three tugs at dusk, zooming out slowly, text appearing at the bottom.
[Text displays]
Prelude FLNG
#makethefuture
[Audio]
Shell jingle
[Graphic]
Shell Pecten centred on a white background with text displaying below
[Text displays]
© Shell International Limited 2017
Engineers journey to one of the world’s most remote places
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Prelude Takes Shape – Beneath the Sea Accessibility Transcript
Vision: Prelude FLNG Flare Tower
Music: Sound of Shell.
Voice over:
Last year we watched as Prelude took shape in the bustling shipyards of South Korea.
Vision: Graphic Locator
Music: Sound of Shell.
Voice over: Now far off the coast of Western Australia, another vital aspect of this world first project is beginning to emerge.
Vision: Graphics Subsea
Music: Sound of Shell.
Voice over: Deep beneath the sea, Prelude is connected to a critical network made up of Christmas trees, manifolds and flow lines, all connected to giant anchor piles. The role of this network is to control the flow of gas.
Vision: Shington Widjaja, Subsea Hardware Engineer
Shington Widjaja: ”This is the last manifold before the gas gets into the FLNG. And what this is, is a safety device. If there are any issues with the subsea, the valves can close here and it prevents hydrocarbons from going into the FLNG.”
Vision: Manifolds, Xmas trees, anchor piles ocean
Voice over: With construction of the systems now complete, the job of the subsea team was installation.. In one of the loneliest places on the planet
Vision: Paul Hoban, Subsea Project Manager
Paul Hoban: ”I’ve never worked anywhere as remote as Prelude. There’s hundreds of kilometres in every direction and we’re working 250 metres below the surface. In order to do this job, we needed 250 people and six vessels mobilised from all over the world.”
Vision: Graphic Title, Henderson Western Australia – footage of anchor pile deployment
Voice over: Like here in Henderson, Western Australia, where the giant anchor piles were manufactured then loaded out for deployment.
Vision: Eric Gerbeding, Upstream Projects manager
Eric Gerbeding: ” We’ve got a lot of activities going on. You’ve had the design, the construction and the movement. It’s really critical that it’s planned well and it’s safely executed.”
Vision: Graphic Title, Karratha, Western Australia
Voice over: And in Karratha we’re the four Christmas trees were loaded on board the North Sea Atlantic.
Vision: Nigel Goh, Graduate Discipline Engineer
Shington Widjaja: ”We’re mobilising right now, it’s been a really good controlled lift so far. We’ve got one tree down, the second tree is coming on right now, we’ve got the second tree coming on right now. We’ve got two more to go, but once that’s on, we’re basically good to go for the campaign.”
Vision: Timelapse mobilisation
Voice over: In total 6 mobilisations across three different countries involving 10 vessels were required, before everything was finally in place.
Vision: Kevin Lau, Prelude xmas tree lead
Shington Widjaja: ” Basically after two and half years of design and testing of all the trees onshore, we’re going to go offshore with these four trees and put them on actual well heads now and get them wet.”
Vision: Aerial footage North Sea Atlantic
Voice over: On the 8th February, the construction vessel the North Sea Atlantic set sail.
Her destination, the prelude gas field, a three day journey.
Vision: Paul Hoban, Subsea Project Manager
Paul Hoban: ” Working at sea and especially on the ocean floor, is like working no other place on the planet. Prelude is particularly challenging, because you have very strong currents both on the surface and subsea. And quite often you cannot see anything on the sea bed.”
Vision: Footage Prelude gas field installation begins
Voice over: The moment of truth had arrived for the subsea team. Installation began with an anchor pile.
Vision: Rigger to camera
Rigger: ”Communication is number 1 with us really, because if our comms fail, things can go wrong pretty quickly”
Vision: Footage of anchor pile installation
Voice over: First the fully loaded barge was brought into position. With everything in place, the riggers stepped on board. And the lift could begin. It’s an operation that required everyone working as a single unit. With the barge now clear, the vessel was steered into position. And the anchor pile was carefully lowered into its new home...
Vision: Shington Widjaja, Subsea Hardware Engineer
Shington Widjaja: ” Hopefully this is the last time we see this for the next 25 years. It goes down to the seabed and it stays there.”
Vision: Shington Footage ROV crew
Voice over: In the water, the operation enters a completely different world. The ROV crews become the eyes and arms.
Vision: RV Operator
Voice over: By the time we get to the seabed we will lower this, because of the weight of the pile, it will sink below the seabed, until it is about 8 metres below the sea bed.
Vision: Monitors showing anchor pile subsea
Voice over: While state of the art technology allows team of surveyors track each movement as the anchor pile descends through 250 metres of water. The result is that even in near zero visibility, the giant structure, can be guided into position, with pinpoint accuracy.
Vision: Kevin Lau, Prelude Xmas Tree Lead
Kevin Lau: ” Yes, we’re happy with that it’s good. One down, three to go.”
Vision: Footage mud mats, xmas tree installation
Voice over: Prelude’s manifolds, xmas trees and anchor piles are now in place. The campaign was completed in 21 days, 8 days ahead of schedule without incident.
Vision: Paul Hoban, Subsea Project Manager
Paul Hoban: ” Quite frankly, this is the best campaign I’ve ever been involved in. It was down to personal responsibility. People both in Shell and our contractor Technip really took ownership of their scope. They innovated when they had to and they delivered a safe, efficient and high quality job. That’s everything you can ask for.
Vision: Shots of Prelude equipment on the bottom of the sea
Voice over: And step by step, Shell’s Prelude FLNG project has moved one step closer to becoming a reality.
Sound of shell music fades out.
ENDS.
Prelude – built to last
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Title: Prelude - built to last - from YouTube
Duration: 7:38 minutes
Description:
From paint that will last 25 years at sea to five-star cabins in one of the most remote locations on the planet, Shell’s Prelude FLNG team are building one of the largest floating structures ever and taking the energy industry to a whole new level of innovation.
Prelude – built to last – from YouTube Transcript
[Background music plays]
Dramatic intro music
[Video footage]
Sped-up footage of sections of plant installation being lowered into place by crane.
[Voiceover]
‘'Take one gas plant…
[Video footage]
A man on scaffolding is spraypainting pipes on the new plant installation bright yellow.
[Voiceover]
‘'...millions of litres of paint...’’
[Video footage]
A man in a hardhat and overalls draws a curtain across an interior cupboard.
[Voiceover]
‘'...some careful interior design...’’
[Voiceover]
‘'...and ensure it all lasts for decades.’’
[Video footage]
Two technicians inspect a girder in the plant. One of the technicians is using a handheld device to take a metered reading.
Sparks fly from a welding operation.
A man crosses the floor of the vast interior of the gas plant.
A huge machine, constructed of massive girders, moves along inside the plant.
[Voiceover]
‘'It's revolutionary...’’
[Video footage]
Sparks fly as a man welds a huge curved pipe.
Construction equipment is moved along above ground level at a dockside, using an enormous movable gantry.
[Voiceover]
‘'...pushing the boundaries of innovation.’’
[Video footage]
Sped-up footage of a harbour scene, machinery and vessels coming and going.
Partially constructed plant.
Sped-up night-time footage of a drydock filling with water. As the day breaks, the water level rises to capacity.
[Voiceover]
‘'Destined for fields previously thought too challenging…’'
[Animated sequence]
Digital sound effect. Camera zooms in from out-of-space to the northern coast of Australia.
[Text displays]
FLNG location Prelude Gas
Broome
Northern Australia
[Voiceover]
‘'…Shell is shrinking a liquefied natural gas plant by four times its normal size, and squeezing it onto a floating hull.’’
[Video footage]
Aerial footage of a vast gas plant.
Two workers in protective gear.
Dramatically sped-up footage of two days’ worth of activity on the gas plant construction.
Inside the gas plant, a system with a massive central pipe is moved in through a large door.
Two workers stand inside a large circular chamber or room. A truck is parked in the middle of the room. The camera pans up from the workers to an opening several storeys above in the circular chamber.
A worker in protective gear motions directions to someone off-camera.
Sped-up footage: the vessel in dry dock is being pushed or accompanied out of the dock by two relatively small tugboats.
[Voiceover]
‘'At half a kilometre long, Prelude is the one of the largest structures man has ever sent to sea.’’
[Video footage]
Sped-up footage from the water’s surface as Prelude is floated out to sea.
View from a further-away elevated position of Prelude being guided out of drydock and into the harbour by seven or eight tugboats positioned at various points around the vast vessel.
[Music ends]
[Animated sequence]
The words Built to Last swoosh into position under the name Prelude on the vessels hull.
[Text displays]
Samsung heavy industries
Geoje Island, South Korea
[Background music plays]
Tinkling, uplifting music plays.
[Video footage]
Busy harbour scene at Geoje Island, South Korea, as seen from an elevated position, looking down over treetops.
Prelude docked. The huge gantry stands over the prow.
[Voiceover]
‘'Prelude's gas plant is being built in a jigsaw of huge pieces or modules on the quayside.’’
[Video footage]
Outdoor view of construction underway on the gas plant.
Camera pans down from upper left to lower right, showing construction equipment in various stages of assembly on the quayside.
Two men in protective gear discuss something on a piece of paper one of them is holding.
Outdoors: Huw Jones standing several storeys up on scaffolding or partially constructed part of the gas plant.
[Voiceover]
‘'It's Huw Jones' job to ensure that its construction runs smoothly.’’
[Video footage]
Outdoors: two men in protective gear climb a ladder to a platform.
The men make their way across the platform.
View from below as the men make their way up yet another ladder.
View from a little distance away of the gas plant under construction.
The two men approach the camera as they ascend a ladder.
Camera position switches to behind the two men as they reach the platform.
The two men examine massive pipes and tubing on the platform.
[Construction Manager]
[Huw Jones]
‘'It looks a little bit like a forest of yellow steel right now, but we will bring it all together and form 14 modules.’’
[Video footage]
The sound of a drill can be heard. Two men standing on scaffolding work on a large vat-like structure.
Huw Jones standing outdoors, addressing the cameraperson/interviewer, the construction site behind him.
The camera looks straight up the side of the construction showing girders and pipes and tubes crisscrossing one another.
Two workers walk along the topmost platform of the construction site.
One of the men raises his hand to shield his eyes from the glare as he stares out ahead of him.
View from behind the two men as they survey the scene below and in front of them. Prelude lies in dock a short distance away.
[Huw Jones]
‘'We'll join those 14 modules to themselves and to the hull to make a facility that is enormous, basically.’’
[Video footage]
Huw Jones standing outdoors, addressing the cameraperson/interviewer, the construction site behind him.
View past a man’s shoulder and arm, the construction site in the distance.
View of the construction site.
Huw Jones standing outdoors, addressing the cameraperson/interviewer, the construction site behind him. He grins as he finishes talking.
The massive gantry, positioned above the Prelude, and what appears to be a floating platform in front of the Prelude, move in a synchronized fashion as the gantry begins to swing slowly diagonally to the Prelude. A high-pitched whining noise can be heard.
Side view of the Prelude, cranes in the background.
[Voiceover]
‘'A trip to Prelude's main deck already requires an elevator, but once complete the floating gas plant will be 30 storeys high.’’
[Video footage]
A crowded elevator full of men in protective gear.
View of the side of the Prelude as seen through the elevator door as it ascends the side of the vessel.
Another shot of the inside of the crowded elevator.
View of the dockside as seen through the elevator door as it ascends the side of the vessel.
View from an elevated platform alongside the Prelude. The camera is looking down its vast length.
The camera follows two men as they walk along elevated platform.
One of the men walks to the railing.
The camera looks down over the railing at the ground far below.
[Huw Jones]
‘'I'm going to put my forest of modules on top and it will look absolutely fantastic.’’
[Video footage]
View across the construction site.
View across the construction site, the Prelude docked in the background.
Huw Jones standing outdoors, addressing the cameraperson/interviewer, the construction site behind him. He grins as he finishes talking.
[Animated sequence]
The camera draws rapidly back from a computer-generated model of the completed Prelude on a glassy ocean.
[Voiceover]
‘'Most ocean-going vessels return to dry dock for maintenance every 5 years. But Prelude is designed not to return for 25! To survive, every inch must be utterly protected.’’
[Video footage]
Busy harbour scene at Geoje Island, South Korea, as seen from an elevated position, looking down over treetops.
Busy dockside, men on foot, bike or scooter pass by.
View of the busy dockside from the front. Workers on motorbikes, scooters and bikes are coming and going.
Sped-up footage of harbour activity.
View of Prelude as seen in a scooter side-view mirror.
Sped-up footage looking across the bustling dockside to Prelude in dock.
Men on bicycles and scooters make their way along the dockside. The massive Prelude hull looms in the background.
The camera looks up at Prelude’s hull. The massive gantry stands over the Prelude.
A forklift drives along the floor of a massive hangar or factory.
[Voiceover]
‘'It's Steve Bell's job to make sure Prelude's 260,000 tonnes of steel are painted to perfection.’’
[Video footage]
Steve Bell, wearing protective gear, watches the activities within the factory.
Men on scaffolding painting a massive girder yellow.
Factory floor; a man in a gas-mask approaches an unidentified piece of construction.
Steve Bell climbs a ladder to the scaffold level above.
Close-up of a handheld meter he uses to take a measurement from a girder.
Side shot of Mr Bell, accompanied by a female colleague, taking measurements from the girder.
A man in protective gear and gas-mask holding a compressor spray-can.
[Lead Coating Inspector]
[Steve Bell]
‘'Painting is a lot more technical than what people actually think.’’
[Video footage]
Mr Bell addresses the camera.
A man in heavy protective gear and gas-mask sprays the inside of a girder yellow.
[Steve Bell]
‘'Different paints react at different temperatures, and it is a very technical discipline.’’
[Video footage]
Close-up of a handwritten weather chart recording conditions for different time intervals for the day.
Mr Bell addresses the camera.
Mr Bell addresses a small group of workers on the factory floor.
Close-up of a man donning a face-mask over his hardhat.
[Voiceover]
‘'Steve and his team are here to inspect the paint job on a new piece of the gas plant.’’
[Video footage]
Steve and the other workers adjust their gas-masks.
Steve and a colleague inspect paintwork on the structure above them.
A man climbs a ladder to the scaffolding above.
[Steve Bell]
‘'Any defect in the paint would in the long-term bring an early breakdown of the coating system, which would cause an early failure of the steelwork.’’
[Video footage]
A man on hands on knees does a close inspection of the painted floor.
A man inspects a painted pipe closely with a torch.
Mr Bell addresses the camera.
A man inspects painted girders closely with a torch.
Mr Bell and a colleague move in for a closer inspection of a painted pillar.
Close-up of the pillar surface.
[Steve Bell]
‘'It has to be perfect.’’
[Voiceover]
‘'But on this occasion Steve's team spots some imperfections.’’
[Video footage]
Mr Bell walking along a long, dim area, examining the structures overhead.
A man inspects painted girders closely with a torch.
Mr Bell, surrounded by his colleagues, makes notes in chalk on the factory floor.
Profile view of Mr Bell. The camera pans right to show the colleague who is talking to him.
Mr Bell addresses the camera.
[Steve Bell]
‘'There's a few areas where the final coat was missing, and a few areas where it was a little bit high. That's the main purpose of these inspections, is to find these items and basically work with the shipyard to rectify the items as quickly as possible.’’
[Video footage]
The painting team gathered around Mr Bell as he makes notes in chalk on the factory floor.
Mr Bell addresses the camera.
Close-up of the chalk notes on the floor.
A painter uses a roller to apply paint to a previously painted girder.
Painting equipment on the factory floor.
View across the harbour of the construction site.
Camera pans right from one side of the harbour to the construction site.
A large white building on the dock. Scaffolding and platforms are visible in the foreground.
[Voiceover]
‘'Across the shipyard, naval architect Brian Casey faces an entirely different challenge: to design living quarters that far exceed expectations.’’
[Video footage]
Office scene.
Brian Casey seated in a boardroom with two colleagues. They have lots of paperwork spread out in front of them.
[Naval Architect]
[Brian Casey]
‘'I've designed quite a few accommodations on vessels and they're all fairly basic, so we thought, 'Well, with Prelude let's try and do something that's good.'’'
[Video footage]
Mr Casey addresses the camera.
An empty presentation room, with rows of seats and presentation equipment at the front.
An empty gymnasium.
Mr Casey addresses the camera.
[Brian Casey]
‘'The whole living quarters have got glazed panel walls, huge open spaces, quiet lounges. It's like a Hilton hotel. I wouldn't mind staying there for a few weeks.’’
[Video footage]
Empty lounge area.
Golf simulation area, with putting area and massive screen.
Mr Casey addresses the camera.
[Animated sequence]
The camera pans around a computer-generated model of the completed Prelude floating on a glassy ocean.
[Voiceover]
‘'Prelude will have around 120 people on board, each with their own cabin.’’
[Video footage]
Empty private cabin.
[Voiceover]
‘'But at busy times, additional people will have to share, requiring sofa beds.’’
[Animated sequence]
A helicopter lands on the Prelude’s deck.
[Video footage]
An empty private cabin.
Close-up of a printout of the cabin design.
Mr Casey and colleague in the boardroom.
Mr Casey addresses his colleagues.
[Brian Casey]
‘'We need to have everything the same, so if someone's coming in, it's a two-man cabin; his sleeping arrangements have to be the same.’’
[Video footage]
Close-up of Mr Casey’s colleague as he pores over the paperwork in front of him.
[Voiceover]
‘'But making the sofa bed as wide as the main bed means a design compromise for Brian.’’
[Video footage]
Mr Casey and his colleagues in the boardroom.
Mr Casey addresses the camera and his colleagues.
[Brian Casey]
‘'I'd rather have kept the slightly narrower mattress by 30mm, just over an inch, but it would cause major problems offshore. You know, people would say, 'Your bed's wider than mine' - even if it's only an inch.’’
[Video footage]
Close-up of the printout of the cabin.
Mr Casey addresses the camera.
Close-up of the printout of the cabin.
[Colleague]
‘'But the design is very nice.’’
[Brian Casey]
‘'It is, yes. We've made the best of it. It's just that I had it perfect initially.’’
[Video footage]
Mr Casey and colleagues in the boardroom seen through a large glass wall.
[Voiceover]
‘'Brian will never live on Prelude, so, to inspect the very first completed cabin, he's joined by someone who will... production coordinator, Frank Groen.’’
[Video footage]
View of the Prelude from dockside.
Camera pans up from the top of the construction site to look out across the length of the site.
View of a cranes and buildings on a distant platform.
Frank Groen walks toward camera as he ascends a gangplank.
[Production Coordinator]
[Frank Groen]
[Huw Jones]
‘'We're going up to the 59th floor.’’
[Video footage]
Mr Groen and colleagues inside a lift.
View from dockside immediately alongside the vast side of the Prelude.
[Voiceover]
‘'The elevator only reaches the main deck. Perched on the stern, the living quarters is another nine storeys high.’’
[Video footage]
The Prelude, tugboats anchored alongside. The living quarters’ superstructure is visible at the stern.
View out across the harbour from the Prelude’s deck.
Mr Groen and a colleague make their way along the cluttered deck.
Close-up of a plastic-covered deck layout and a sign reading: D Deck, with some description of the rooms on that deck.
Mr Groen and his colleague approach the camera as they ascend a flight of steps.
[Voiceover]
‘'The finished cabin is right at the summit. Brian and Frank have to hike.’’
[Video footage]
Close-up of another deck layout.
Frank and Brian ascending another flight of steps.
Close-up of feet as they ascend steps.
Brian disappears through an open door on the deck.
Close-up of feet moving along a very narrow passage.
The camera moves along a corridor filled with panels of instrumentation.
The camera follows Frank and Brian as they make their way along the corridor.
The camera has turned upwards to show the conduits and pipes running the length of the corridor ceiling.
View from the front of Frank and Brian walking along the corridor.
[Frank Groen]
‘'We've waited a long time for this.’’
[Video footage]
Frank and Brian enter a door in the side of the corridor.
[Frank Groen]
‘'It's probably one of the biggest cabins that I've seen for a facility, certainly an offshore facility, so, yes, it's pretty impressive.’’
[Video footage]
Frank and Brian inside an unfurnished cabin.
[Brian Casey]
‘'Additional drawers, which are quite good. And all these cupboards are all soft closing, so, yes…’'
[Video footage]
Brian pulls out drawers under a bed. He then opens and closes a cabinet at eye-level.
[Brian Casey]
‘'We also have hidden curtains. A bit of privacy is always important, it's good.’’
[Video footage]
Brian draws a curtain from a panel against the wall and draws it across the bed.
[Brian Casey]
‘'More shelves...more shelving space.’’
[Video footage]
Brian opens a narrow cupboard to reveal shelves and hanging space.
[Frank Groen]
‘'Originally you had tie racks in there, Brian?’’
[Brian Casey]
‘'That's right, yes, a tie rack. We got rid of that. Now we go into the bathroom...’’
[Video footage]
Brian enters the very small bathroom cubicle.
[Brian Casey]
‘'...this was moved a few times.’’
[Video footage]
Brian motions across the top of the bathroom cubicle.
[Frank Groen]
‘'Do you remember the discussion on that, Brian?’’
[Brian Casey]
‘'Yes, it was a major item, the clothesline.’’
[Frank Groen]
‘'Yes.’’
[Brian Casey]
‘'That got moved around about three or four different times.’’
[Video footage]
Brian twangs the overhead clothesline.
[Brian Casey]
‘'It's attention to detail that makes life a lot better offshore, yes.’’
[Voiceover]
‘'Frank's impressed so far, but will the sofa bed be up to scratch?’’
[Video footage]
Frank and Brian pull out the sofa bed to reveal a hidden mattress.
[Frank Groen]
‘'Let’s try it. That's quite a good setup.’’
[Brian Casey]
‘'Yes.’’
[Video footage]
Brian pushes his fists into the mattress to test its firmness.
[Brian Casey]
‘'As you can see, it looks very, very close or very similar to the fixed bed when it's down, and that was the main design criteria we had. And they're both the same widths, yes. Do you want to try this one? You'll be sleeping on it, Frank.’’
[Video footage]
Close-up of the sofa bed. Frank lowers himself onto it.
[Frank Groen]
‘'Yes. And the full length's there too, which is good, because quite often you can't get that extra length.’’
[Video footage]
Frank gets off the bed.
[Frank Groen]
‘'It's very good. These are great. Obviously, Australians are usually taller as well - that was one of the key points of…’'
[Brian Casey]
‘'I don’t have a problem!’’
[Video footage]
The two men laugh.
View of Brian and Frank exiting the passage into daylight.
The construction site and bustling dockside.
Aerial view of vehicles coming and going on the bustling dockside.
[Voiceover]
‘'Although there's a lot yet to achieve, the Prelude team is well on its way to building a world-class, technically innovative facility that will stand the test of time.’’
[Video footage]
A man and woman in protective gear walking outside the construction plant.
A man in protective gear walks quickly along a platform surrounding a vast vertical tunnel.
A man in a hanging scaffold is being lowered into the tunnel.
A man in the construction site securing loose, hanging cables or wires.
Men at work in the construction site.
A close-up of a brightly-coloured sign reading: Danger.
Men in protective gear direct a very wide construction vehicle out of the factory.
A man welding.
The camera follows a woman in protective gear as she rounds a pile of construction equipment in the factory.
A man welding something on the floor.
[Huw Jones]
‘'If you come back here in three months' time there's going to be a huge change here... and taller.
[Video footage]
Frank Groen and a colleague approach the camera as they descend a flight of steps outdoors.
View across the harbour of the construction modules being assembled.
A man in protective gear at work on the construction site.
A man on scaffolding hoists a piece of equipment up to him.
Dockside view of the side of the Prelude. The camera follows the progress of a man walking along next to the vessel.
[Huw Jones]
‘'Fantastic, I've got goose pimples talking about it!’’
[Video footage]
Huw addressing the camera. He grins broadly as he finishes talking.
Busy harbour scene at Geoje Island, South Korea, as seen from an elevated position, looking down over treetops.
Final shot of the distant Prelude lying in the harbour.
[Music ends]
[Animated sequence]
Rushing noise. A spiral of yellow, turquoise, blue and purple splits and morphs so that they form the logo for dsp.
[Text displays]
Dsp, an Endemol company.
[Graphic displays]
An eye encircled by a horizontal oval.
[Text displays]
For Shell.TV
[Text displays]
Copyright, Shell International 2014
