Name of the Project
Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.
Location
Australia.
Client
The project is a joint venture between Australian subsidiaries of Chevron (64.1%); Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC) (13.4%); Woodside Petroleum (13%); PE Wheatstone, which is partly owned by TEPCO (8%); and Kyushu Electric Power Company (1.46%).
Project Description
The Wheatstone LNG project, located at Ashburton North, 12 km west of Onslow, in Western Australia, will become one of the country’s largest resource projects, providing greater security of supply and significant economic benefits, including employment, government revenue and opportunities for local businesses.
The project plans to develop a 25-million-ton-a-year LNG plant. The foundation phase consists of two LNG processing trains with a combined capacity of 8.9-million tons a year, a domestic gas plant and associated offshore infrastructure, including the processing platform, subsea equipment, drilling and an export trunkline.
The LNG trains will be supplied with gas from the neighbouring Wheatstone and Iago gasfields.
The domestic gas plant will have the capacity to equal about 15% of LNG sales, with domestic gas to be delivered to the Western Australian market through the Dampier-to-Bunbury natural gas pipeline.
The project will require the installation of gas-gathering infrastructure, export and processing facilities in Commonwealth and State waters and on land, as well as a shipping access channel and a new industrial port facility.
Potential Job Creation
Not stated.
Value
$34-billion.
Duration
A final investment decision to proceed with the Wheatstone project was made in September 2011, with construction having started in December that same year.
First gas is expected in mid-2017.
Latest Developments
LNG production from the second train at the Wheatstone project has started.
The domestic gas plant is progressing well and is expected to come on line later this year.
Key Contracts and Suppliers
Bechtel Oil, Gas & Chemicals (onshore front-end engineering and design).
On Budget and on Time?
The project has been delayed by six months.
Contact Details for Project Information
Bechtel (Australia), tel +61 7 3167 5000 or fax +61 7 3167 5001.
Chevron Australia, tel +61 8 9216 4000, fax +61 8 9216 4166 or email gorgon.info@chevron.com; or senior communications adviser Nicole Hodgson, tel +61 8 9216 4485 or email nhodgson@chevron.com.
Kufpec, tel +965 183 6000, fax +965 249 5 1818 or email KUFPEC@KUFPEC.com.
Woodside Petroleum, tel +61 8 9348 4000 or fax +61 8 9214 2777.