Darwin - Australia’s 2nd international gas hub.
In February 2006, the first tanker with liquid natural gas embarked from the newly commissioned $1.75 billion LNG plant in Darwin Harbour, confirming Darwin’s status as Australia’s second major international gas hub.
The 3.24 million tonne per annum plant is connected via a 500km pipeline to the Bayu-Undan gas field in the Timor Sea, and will increase Northern Territory exports by $450 million per annum.
The Bayu-Undan field is operated by ConocoPhillips Australia and has recoverable reserves of more than 3.4 Tcf (trillion cubic feet) of natural gas and approximately 400 million barrels of liquid hydrocarbons (LPG and condensate). Stage One of the Bayu-Undan development, the liquids stripping phase, became operational in March 2004.
The second stage, gas development, which included construction of a $750 million underwater pipeline from the Bayu-Undan field to Wickham Point near Darwin, was completed in 2005.
Darwin’s LNG will be sold to Japanese energy companies under a 17-year contract. The plant is geared for new gas developments in the Timor Sea, with planning approvals in place for expansion up to 10 million tones per annum of LNG production. It also opens up opportunities for downstream gas-based manufacturing. BOC Group has already announced its intention to build a $33 million helium plant at Wickham Point – the first in the southern hemisphere.
For more information call 61 8 8946 9555.
