New Fortress Energy has sold former Seadrill cylindrical semisubmersibles Sevan Driller and Sevan Brasil for demolition after previously planning to convert the two units into floating LNG liquefaction facilities.
VesselsValue demolition data lists the 2009-built Sevan Driller and 2012-built Sevan Brasil as sold for scrap by New Fortress Energy on 4 September 2026. No sale price or recycling destination was disclosed.
New Fortress Energy acquired the two units from Seadrill in April 2022 for non-drilling use after both had spent years cold stacked. The company paid $18 million for Sevan Driller and $6 million for Sevan Brasil.
The two units were subsequently selected for the company’s Fast LNG programme. Sembcorp Marine, now part of Seatrium, secured agreements later in 2022 covering engineering and conversion work, including the fabrication and integration of LNG topsides.
The conversion plans called for the cylindrical units to accommodate New Fortress Energy-designed liquefaction facilities capable of producing about 1.4 million tonnes of LNG per annum.
Sevan Driller was later designated for the Lakach deepwater gas project off Mexico. New Fortress Energy planned to use the converted unit under its cooperation with Pemex to liquefy gas produced from the field offshore Veracruz.
New Fortress Energy determined in 2025 that development of the Lakach project was no longer probable and impaired capitalised costs associated with the project.
The company recorded a $123.1 million asset impairment charge during the first half of 2025, principally related to Lakach and certain development projects in Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico.
New Fortress Energy has meanwhile commissioned its first Fast LNG facility, FLNG 1, off Altamira, Mexico. According to its second-quarter 2026 filing, the 1.4 million tonnes per annum facility is fully commissioned and undergoing optimisation to increase available liquefaction capacity.
For its second 1.4 million tonnes per annum Fast LNG facility, FLNG 2, New Fortress Energy said it does not plan to commit significant additional capital expenditure following completion of its restructuring transaction.
The company is in discussions with third parties to co-develop FLNG 2 and estimates that a further $750 million to $1.5 billion would be required to complete the project.
