Meet the Shell Prelude: It's the largest floating vessel anywhere on the planet. Its 1,600-foot length is longer than height of the Empire State Building in New York and dwarfs the U.S. Navy's largest aircraft carrier (1,082 feet) and even the Queen Mary 2 (1,132 feet). The hull has been launched in South Korea and the next phase, adding the superstructure that will sit on the deck, is underway. Technically, the Prelude isn't a "ship" because it can't move under its own power. It has to be towed everywhere it goes. Prelude, which analysts say may cost over $12 billion to build and which is due to be producing by 2017, is a potential game changer for the oil and gas industry. Anchored above a well about 200 km off the Australian coast, the floating facility will chill natural gas produced at the field to -260°F, shrinking its volume by 600 times so it can be shipped to customers in other parts of the world. Ocean-going carriers will load the LNG as well as other liquid by-products (condensate and LPG) for delivery to markets in Asia. This remarkable vessel will be "on-site" for 20-25 years before requiring a trip to port for retrofit and in the meantime will be able to remain in place and ride out even category 5 cyclones/hurricanes!