Last week, trunkline construction started with the installation of tubing and cabling on the North Rankin A gas production platform. The project's operator, Woodside Petroleum, said the installation work is required to integrate the second trunkline into the existing systems of North Rankin.
The trunkline construction work on North Rankin, located about 130 km offshore from Dampier in Western Australia, will be followed by the laying of a pipeline. Final hook-up of the second trunkline into the operating offshore system is scheduled for completion in early 2004.
The second trunkline will link the Venture's offshore gas production and onshore gas processing facilities on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia. The 42-inch diameter trunkline has been designed to provide extra capacity to meet increased demand from existing and new LNG customers, as well as for prospective gas-related projects on the Burrup.
Woodside said contracts totalling about $377 million have already been awarded for the second trunkline project, including provision of line-pipe, weight-coating of the line-pipe, trunkline installation and shore crossing and platform modifications.
At its peak the second trunkline project will have up to 400 personnel working offshore, undertaking the various installation, dredging, rock-dumping, platform modification and tie-in activities. To date more than 65 per cent of the 85,000 tonnes of special steel pipe required for the trunkline has been produced.
Woodside said the second trunkline project is an integral part of the major expansion of the Venture's gas production and liquefaction facilities, which are currently under construction.
The expansion also includes the construction of a fourth LNG train at the Venture's onshore gas processing plant on the Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia. The fourth train will have a capacity of 4.2 million tonnes of LNG a year.
The six equal participants in the North West Shelf Venture are Woodside Energy (operator), BHP Billiton Petroleum (North West Shelf), BP Developments Australia, Chevron Texaco Australia, Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) and Shell Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited.
