U.S. giant Chevron has recently received environmental approval from Australia to add the fourth liquefaction train to its US$54 billion Gorgon LNG project on Barrow Island.
However, the approval valid until January 1, 2070 has numerous environmental management, monitoring, and reporting conditions attached.
A Chevron spokeswoman was quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald as saying that the approval gives the project certainty on environmental conditions, however, no decision on the fourth train has yet been made.
The priority remains getting the first train back into production. The facility’s first liquefaction train has been shut down for repairs following a mechanical issue in the propane refrigerant circuit.
The halt came soon after the project shipped its first cargo in March.
Chevron recently said the start-up activities are underway on Gorgon Train 1 with a plan to resume production in the coming weeks.
Chevron did not respond to an email by LNG World News seeking more information on the approval, by the time this article was published.
At full capacity, the plant on Barrow Island will have the capacity to produce 15.6 mtpa of LNG using feed gas from the Gorgon and Jansz-Io gas fields, located within the Greater Gorgon area, between 80 miles (130 km) and 136 miles (220 km) off the northwest coast of Western Australia.
The largest single resource project ever developed in Australia is operated by Chevron that owns a 47.3 percent stake, while other shareholders are ExxonMobil (25 percent), Shell (25 percent), Osaka Gas (1.25 percent), Tokyo Gas (1 percent) and Chubu Electric Power (0.417 percent).
LNG World News Staff