Shell Plans to Deploy Floating LNG Technology to Develop Gas Discoveries Off Australia
08 October 2009
Shell plans to develop its Prelude and Concerto gas discoveries, located in the Browse Basin off the northwest coast of Western Australia, using its Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) technology. (Earlier post.)
| Artistic impression of the Shell FLNG design. Source: Shell. Click to enlarge. |
The dimensions of Shell’s FLNG facility are approximately 480 by 75 meters (1,575 by 246 feet), with the capacity to produce around 3.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG, as well as Condensate and LPG. When fully ballasted, the FLNG facility weighs around 600,000 tonnes.
Shell’s FLNG solution means the facility can be re-deployed to another gas field once production at one gas field is complete, and its standardized “design one, build many” approach allows repeatability gains to be captured during design and construction phases. It is suitable for more distant offshore fields, remains on station during harsh metocean conditions such as cyclones, and can process a wide range of gas compositions.
In July, Shell Gas & Power Developments BV signed a master agreement with a consortium comprising Technip and Samsung for the design, construction and installation of multiple FLNG facilities over a period of up to fifteen years.
Shell’s FLNG solution is an important development for the LNG industry, with its ability to process gas in situ over an offshore gas field, reducing both project costs and the environmental footprint of an LNG development.
Shell is the operator and 100% equity holder of the WA-371-P permit, containing the Prelude and Concerto fields, which would be developed sequentially. While pending a Final Investment Decision, the Prelude FLNG Project is now in the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase of development. FEED for Prelude is being undertaken as part of Shell’s contract with the Technip-Samsung Heavy Industries consortium for the design, construction and installation of multiple FLNG facilities.
Shell is currently working on the environmental and production approvals for the Prelude FLNG Project, with the Environmental Impact Statement soon to be released for public comment. This follows a successful drilling campaign in WA-371-P, in which all twelve commitment wells were drilled, with discoveries of the Prelude and Concerto fields.
This is not the same company as we have been watching leaking 100 KLM oil slicks into the same area for the last month and as yet uncapped.
We watched in horror or amused cynicism as they spent 3 weeks bringing in a second rig from Indonesia when one day into the accident another rig was offered that would have taken 3 days travel. That was an economic decision, not an accident.
There has been a Marine Migration superhighway environmental protection zone declared in the same area in the last month.
This whole area is pristine habitat and in the throes of massive developments.
Posted by: arnold | 09 October 2009 at 01:06 AM
to follow up,
At least I dont recall the operators name, but I,m not 100% sure.
Posted by: arnold | 09 October 2009 at 01:09 AM
There is a huge amount of natural gas that is just flared off in the world. The U.S. used to do that until they found out they could pipe it and sell it for profit.
Norway has floating platforms in the arctic circle that turn natural gas into liquid fuels. They have found it worth doing, even though the investment is considerable.
I would like to see natural gas that is flared turned into liquid fuels at the site. Even nitrogen fertilizer for farms could be created, but the bottom line would rather flare it than do some good with it.
Posted by: SJC | 09 October 2009 at 09:07 AM
The above comment should read for the last 7 weeks or nearly two months.
They are not as yet legally liable for the cleanup, like EXXON basically trashed the environment and yea we all know how these things go.
Posted by: arnold | 09 October 2009 at 01:17 PM
Australia is owned by mining and oil conglomerates.
They basically do whatever they like, paying a modest royalty in taxes to the governement. Most of the mineral and fossil fuel bounty is exported to facilitate unsustainable growth in China, India and elsewhere.
The average Australian is happy to go along with this. Provided they are thrown a few mining job crumbs and propped up by high governement spending.
There are too few wise heads willing to preserve the mineral wealth for future generations. There is minimal effort to develop a sustainable "non mining" Australian economy.
Australia is a young country. They can learn from the mistakes of other countries. Don't die young. Why not reduce the rate of exploitation?
Posted by: Carlos Fandango | 12 October 2009 at 07:20 PM