Shell announced, on December 25, that the wells have been opened at its Prelude Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility located 475km north-north east of Broome in Western Australia.
This is the world’s largest floating production structure and the last of the eight LNG projects built in the country over the last decade.
Prelude now enters start-up, ramp-up, which is the initial phase of production where gas and condensate is produced and is moved through the facility. Once this has concluded the facility will be stabilised for reliable production of LPG and LNG.
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The company continues to focus on providing a controlled environment to ensure Prelude will operate reliably and safely now, and in the future.
According to Reuters, the project started up later and cost more than originally estimated. However, it is expected to enhance Australia’s exports and maintain Australia’s leadership as the world’s largest exporter of LNG.
In November, Australia surpassed Qatar’s LNG exports, after the beginning of several export projects in the country over the past three years, such as the Ichthys LNF project off Australia’s northern coast.
