The processing of gas from the offshore Pluto fields has started ahead of schedule at the NWS Karratha Gas Plant (KGP), enabled by the start-up of the Pluto LNG-KGP Interconnector.
On 31 March, Woodside said in a statement that processing of Pluto gas started at the North West Shelf.
The Interconnector is a 3.2 kilometres pipeline that connects Pluto LNG with KGP. Its start supports the accelerated production of gas from the first phase of Pluto’s Pyxis Hub by enabling it to be processed at KGP.
KGP is to process approximately 2.5 million tonnes of LNG and approximately 20 petajoules of domestic gas from Pluto in the period 2022 to 2025. This came after Woodside exercised a contract reduction option under the gas processing deal it signed with the NWS project participants in December 2020.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said this accelerated production is a significant achievement.
“The start-up of the Pluto-KGP Interconnector provides access to spare capacity at KGP to process gas owned by other resource owners, both onshore and offshore Western Australia. The commencement of Pluto gas flowing through the Interconnector is the first example of this.”
“The processing of gas from the offshore Pluto fields through KGP enables Woodside to deliver additional LNG cargoes into the international gas market.”
“ The commercial agreements underpinning third-party gas processing at the North West Shelf reflect the commitment of Woodside and the North West Shelf Project to maximising value from the significant infrastructure on the Burrup Peninsula,” she said.
Woodside Energy is the NWS operator and owns 16.67 per cent in the project. The rest of the participants include BHP Petroleum (North West Shelf) (16.67% per cent); BP Developments Australia (16.67 per cent); Chevron Australia (16.67 per cent); Japan Australia LNG (16.67 per cent) and Shell Australia (16.67 per cent).
Woodside Burrup holds a 90 per cent interest in Pluto LNG and operates the Pluto LNG facilities. AGI Operations constructed and operate the Pluto-KGP Interconnector pipeline.