The company is planning for a final investment decision in 2011, allowing construction to commence mid-2011. First LNG is anticipated in early 2016.

Key components of the project for which approval is being sought include:

• An approximately 225 km, 1.2 m diameter export pipeline to transport dry gas and condensate from the offshore production infrastructure to the onshore gas processing facility.

• A gas processing and export facility, including an LNG processing facility of up to 25 million tonnes per annum (MMt/a) comprising five or six trains, a 625 million cubic feet per day domestic gas processing plant, LNG and condensate product storage, power generation, water supply, waste disposal, and associated support facilities.

Article continues below…

• A multi-purpose infrastructure corridor, which will incorporate an access road to the site as well as the domestic gas pipeline connecting to the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline.

• Offshore production facilities with a nominal capacity of 9 MMt/a LNG, including wells, subsea installations and offshore platforms.

The project will process gas from permits WA-253-P and WA-17-R, which are wholly-owned by Chevron, WA-16-R, which is held jointly by Chevron companies and Shell, and Apache Energy’s WA-356-P.

The statement estimates that approximately 3,000 workers will be required at the peak of construction activity in 2014, and approximately 300 workers will be needed during operations.

Other joint venture partners in the Wheatstone LNG Development include Apache, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company and Tokyo Electric Power Company.

To view the draft click here.