In a note to employees asset manager Peter Norman said "as of today Prelude remains shut down and production is suspended as a result of the ongoing protected industrial action on the facility.
"With the existing PIA in place we cannot prepare nor proceed with the Turnaround".
He did not give a firm date in 2023 for the important maintenance to be undertaken. However he said "significant progress" had been made over the past weekend in negotiations with the unions.
"When we are able to reschedule the turnaround will depend on a variety of factors, including weather conditions, contractor availability and when the ongoing PIA concludes," a Shell spokesperson said.
"We remain committed to reaching an agreement and working together to find a way forward with our workforce.
"We have continued to keep the offshore regulator, NOPSEMA, updated on the impacts of the ongoing PIA and will continue to work closely with them."
Industrial action as unions negotiate a new enterprise bargaining agreement began in June and has been officially extended to August 11. Shell shut off production last month; the 3.6 million tonne per annum ship typically sends three, sometimes four, cargoes a month.
Late July Shell cancelled a lockout of workers but maintained the shut in.
The prior week the company announced it would lock out workers and stop paying them in an effort to stem losses and pressure unions into accepting its proposed enterprise bargaining agreement.
According to the Offshore Alliance - made up of the Australian Workers Union and the Australian Maritime Union- losses from protected strikes at the vessel have cost Shell nearly $1 billion. The Electrical Trades Union is also part of the strike.
Negotiations between workers and Shell management have been ongoing for around 19 months. Both parties failed to compromise on key aspects of proposed workplace agreements which led to the protected industrial action.
