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LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS : Norway’s Golar LNG Announces the Departure of Hilli Episeyo from Cameroon

(LVDE) – Norwegian group Golar LNG announced on May 20, 2026, the definitive departure of its floating liquefied natural gas unit, Hilli Episeyo, from Cameroonian waters in the third quarter of 2026. Operated since 2018 off the coast of Kribi in partnership with the National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH) and Perenco, the strategic infrastructure enabled Cameroon to establish itself on the liquefied natural gas market, with more than 152 cargoes exported and over 10 million tonnes of LNG produced.

Esther Grâce Publié :27 mai 2026 | Mis à jour :27 mai 2026 3 minutes lues

Hilli Episeyo, the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) plant of Golar LNG.

After eight years of operations off the Cameroonian coast, the Hilli Episeyo is preparing to close a major chapter in Cameroon’s energy history. In a statement released on May 20, 2026, Norwegian shipowner Golar LNG confirmed the upcoming withdrawal of its floating liquefied natural gas facility installed in Kribi since the launch of the Sanaga South gas project in 2018. The floating plant will be disconnected in July before being towed to Seatrium shipyard in Singapore, where it is expected to undergo modernization works.

The announcement comes as the Hilli Episeyo has just crossed several symbolic milestones in its operations in Cameroon. Since its commissioning, the facility has enabled the export of more than 152 LNG cargoes, gradually strengthening Cameroon’s position among Africa’s liquefied natural gas producers. In February 2026, the installation also surpassed 10 million tonnes of LNG produced, with an annual contractual capacity estimated at 1.2 million tonnes.

Beyond exports, the Hilli Episeyo played a strategic role in supplying the domestic market. The unit produced around 30,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) annually for local consumption, in addition to approximately 5,000 barrels per day of condensates. At a time when gas is playing an increasingly important role in energy transition policies, the infrastructure represented one of the pillars of Cameroon’s gas strategy.

Financially, the Norwegian group continues to post solid performances. For the first quarter of 2026, Golar LNG reported generating $10 million in gains from the Hilli Episeyo, including $4 million indexed to Brent crude prices and $6 million linked to TTF, Europe’s benchmark gas index. The company also disclosed an additional $34 million in unrealized gains related to the accounting revaluation of its financial instruments. Globally, Golar LNG recorded operating revenues of $137.5 million in the first quarter, up 120% year-on-year, for a net profit of $83.6 million.

The withdrawal of the Hilli Episeyo nevertheless opens a period of uncertainty for Cameroon’s gas sector. Since 2018, the facility had been the country’s only LNG liquefaction and export infrastructure. At this stage, neither SNH nor Perenco has officially communicated on a possible replacement solution or on the continuity of LNG exports after 2026. The lack of visibility is raising concerns among industry stakeholders about the future of Cameroon’s gas industry.

For Golar LNG, the future of the Hilli Episeyo now appears to lie outside the African continent. The group plans to reposition the unit to South America, where several offshore gas projects are currently under development. The strategic redeployment illustrates the ongoing global reshaping of the liquefied natural gas market amid rising energy demand and the multiplication of floating production infrastructures.