BG Group has ordered two giant carriers of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. in South Korea, the energy company said Friday.

The diesel-electric carriers will load up with 170,000-cubic-metre of LNG when they begin work after delivery in 2010.

The two vessels are sister ships to vessels BG ordered from Samsung in 2006. The yard will build, equip, launch and deliver the ships, which will use the GTT Mark III membrane cargo containment system.

These new ships are intended to replace chartered tonnage when delivered. Their cargon design is aimed at ease of re-gasification and terminals around the world.

Samsung has built eight ships for BG Group.

In a recent issue, Scandoil.com affiliate Scandinavian Oil-Gas Magazine chronicled the past year's worldwide surge in LNG-project go-aheads.