Floating LNG technology for Australia's northwest coast22 October 2009Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), the global energy and petrochemical group, is to use new Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) technology to process gas discoveries in the Browse Basin, off the northwest coast of Australia. FLNG technology, which has not yet been used commercially, processes gas ‘in situ’ over offshore gas fields. Shell plans to use the world’s largest vessel – bigger than an aircraft carrier – for the Browse Basin project. Floating LNG processing has the potential to open up gas fields long considered too remote for development by conventional means. Shell’s VP Australia, Jon Chadwick, said it is “a game-changer”. Australia’s Minister for Energy, Martin Ferguson, said the development of floating LNG is very important for Australia. “There are many remote gas fields in our waters which will remain uneconomic in the absence of this technology.” He said that Australian ‘stranded gas’ reserves are estimated to be around 140 trillion cubic feet and worth around $1 trillion. The Minister added that the development of the Browse Basin’s Prelude and Concerto fields has the potential to make a substantial contribution to the Western Australian and Australian economies. More information |