The newspaper also claims a China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) led consortium, which operates the Shenzhen-based project, has already signed a contract to buy US$18 billion of LNG over 25 years for phase-one of the expansion.

The gas will be supplied from the North West Shelf gas fields, in which BHP holds a one-sixth interest.

First shipments are due in April, with commercial operation of the terminal's first-phase, which can convert 3.7 million tonnes of LNG into gas per year, expected in June, the paper said.