The ConocoPhillips-operated Australia Pacific LNG project said it will defend court action taken against the A$25 billion joint venture by Texas-based Tri-Star.
Tri-Star has served APLNG on Tuesday with a claim in relation to a 2002 purchase deal, insisting that interests in more than 60 CSG licenses held by APLNG should be passed back to the US company.
“ Tri-Star asserts in its statement of claim that reversion has occurred. Australia Pacific LNG is firmly of the view that reversion has not occurred and intends to strongly defend the action ,” APLNG said in a statement on Wednesday.
The LNG project on Curtis Island off Gladstone remains on track to ship its first cargo of the chilled gas before the end of this year.
“ The Australia Pacific LNG project continues to achieve significant milestones with Upstream largely complete and commissioning activity for Train 1 on Curtis Island well progressed ,” APLNG added.
The APLNG project is a joint venture between ConocoPhillips (37.5%), Origin (37.5%), and Sinopec (25%). The Curtis Island LNG facility will have two production trains with the ability to process up to 9 million tonnes per annum.
1 Australian dollar = 0.72257 U.S. dollars
LNG World News Staff; Image: Origin Energy