Regional LNG: NSW venture to start commissioning on 4th LNG train

Australian oil and gas firm Woodside Energy Ltd. said on Wednesday that the North West Shelf Venture would start the commissioning program on the fourth LNG train, located in Karratha, Western Australia.

?The commissioning program will include: Flushing of piping, Installation of temporary connections, piping and equipment for pre-commissioning and commissioning, Fabrication of temporary piping systems, Pigging of piping, Checking, alignment and testing of rotating equipment, Assistance with commissioning of equipment,? said Woodside in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.

Woodside said the venture had awarded the A$14 million contract for the commissioning program to Australian construction company United Constructions KG Pty Ltd.

The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2004, said Woodside.

The second trunkline and fourth LNG Train are part of the A$2.4 billion expansion of North West Shelf Venture facilities that will boost LNG production to nearly 12 million tons a year. The fourth train will have a capacity of 4.2 million tons of LNG a year and is more than 75 percent complete overall. The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2004.

The six equal participants in the North West Shelf Venture are: Woodside Energy Ltd. (operator); BHP Billiton Petroleum (North West Shelf) Pty Ltd; BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd; Chevron Australia Pty Ltd; Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty Ltd; and Shell Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited. (*)