Malaysian energy company Petronas has honed its list of preferred shipbuilders to two yards for an order of up to six LNG carrier newbuildings.

Industry sources tracking the project said the company is in talks with China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Petronas is understood to be asking for quotations on three firm LNG carriers and a similar number of optional vessels to lift its offtake volumes from the Shell-led, $40bn LNG Canada project.