Darwin mooted as FLNG capital
Release Date: 2010-09-15
Darwin is set to be "the floating liquefied natural gas capital of the world" according to Australia’s Northern Territory Minister for Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources Kon Vatskalis.Speaking at the Australian Pipeline Industry Association Annual Convention in Darwin today, Vatskalis said the top end looked likely to become a hot-spot for floating liquefied natural gas developments.
"Within 10 years, I suggest to you that we could have five to seven floating LNG projects under development or in production, and the Northern Territory will be the floating LNG capital of the world," AAP reported him saying.
Floating LNG is increasingly being considered by energy companies seeking to commercialise remote or `stranded' natural gas fields, with processing taking place offshore on large vessels, rather than being piped onshore to a plant.
Shell's Prelude field, some 475 kilometres north-northeast of Broome, is set to be the world's first floating LNG development when it begins production in 2016.
Also, Woodside Petroleum wants to use a floating LNG platform for its Sunrise project in the Timor Sea, despite the Timor Leste government calling for an onshore development.
"In addition to Sunrise, we have the Bonaparte floating LNG project proposed by the GDF Suez/Santos alliance for the Petrel, Tern and Frigate gas fields, some 250 kilometres to 300 kilometres to the south west of Darwin.
"This project is currently in pre-FEED (front end engineering design) and is targeting first production in 2018.
"A number of other smaller, stranded gas fields in the Timor Sea to the north and to the west of Darwin are also promoted as being under consideration for floating LNG development by companies with good credentials to deliver projects of this nature."
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