In a global engineering project of extraordinary scale
Shell is building a giant floating facility
that will liquefy Natural Gas at sea.
It's amazing. It's very big, it's very impressive
and it's a fantastic achievement by everybody.
With its half kilometre long hull now afloat in South Korea,
2014 saw huge advances for the project around the world.
In Spain, brute strength and searing heat
form the mooring chains that will hold Prelude in position.
Every day we manufacture around 50 tonnes
that means 150 links more or less.
17 kilometres of chain, with 24,500 links, will be produced.
In France tests are underway on ground-breaking arms
that will transfer the liquefied Natural Gas directly onto ships.
It is, effectively, the first time we're running
the Prelude LNG loading arm at cryogenic conditions,
yeah, it is exciting.
Chilled to minus 162 degrees, centigrade
the Natural Gas will be transported as a cryogenic liquid.
Good result, very happy.
The first of many safety tests, succeeds.
In Malaysia, sub-sea equipment
that will control the gas flow from Prelude's seven wells
is being checked for leaks.
We are pressuring up to 10,000 PSI
which is about 300 times the pressure of your car tyres.
Because it's so big and it's the final test
yes, you still get nervous, never mind how many times you do it.
The huge pressure holds, proving the kit is fit for use.
In South Korea, the installation of a pipe network
450 kilometres long, is well underway.
Looks like a human body, full of arteries and veins
with blood flowing in between.
There are more than 450,000 piping components to connect.
Across the shipyard, one of the vast storage tanks
is about to receive a pump tower,
this will take its liquefied gas up to deck for off-loading.
Last time it was windy and it was very tricky.
The 50 tonne structure is safely coaxed through the narrow opening.
Okay, it's going down.
In Dubai, part of the 30 storey turret
which allows Prelude to weather vane
is ready to set sail for South Korea.
Every day when I wake up and I see components this size
I'm struck with awe.
In Australia, construction finishes
on the on-shore supply base.
Well done mate, Thank you very much.
Everything required to support Prelude's remote location
200 kilometres from shore, will be shipped from here.
The warehouse is completely empty now
but within a week things will start coming in
and it's going to be terrific to see.
In Texas, Prelude's mooring cable is strength tested
....to the point of destruction.
This wire rope is the biggest mooring wire rope
that has ever been break-load tested.
So now we're over 2,500 tonnes.
It passes the required strength and now it's pushed to the limit.
More wires are going,
it's still in one piece
yeah, here we go....Oh!
Incredible, wow!
What a huge bang.
The sample out-performs strength requirements.
In Korea, the first of the huge gas processing modules
is being lifted onto the hull.
You go over onto the quayside
and you see it then coming like a tower block,
floating through the air.
Fantastic - I've got goose bumps here!
The 4,800 tonne module is floated to its new home.
At this stage we're about 100 mil off,
they'll do the last adjustment
so when we do touch down that's it,
we won't be coming up
and this module will be staying here for the next 25 years or more.
Well done Mr. Lee, Thank you very much
100 percent Yeah
100 percent Lovely.
Piece by piece, step by step,
across four continents and involving thousands of people
the vision of Prelude
continues to become a reality.
I'm delighted, absolutely delighted.
Very good.
Couldn't have asked for better, really.