Western Australia’s EPA approves Gorgon LNG fourth train

March 4, 2015
The Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia (EPAWA) has approved plans for expansion of the Gorgon-Jansz LNG project on Barrow Island into a fourth train.

The Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia (EPAWA) has approved plans for expansion of the Gorgon-Jansz LNG project on Barrow Island into a fourth train.

The expansion will see the Chevron Corp.-led group push the foundation production of 15 million tonnes/year of LNG up to a total of 20 million tpy.

The expansion project includes construction of a feed gas pipeline system along either the Northern Pipeline Route Option or the Southern Pipeline Route Option plus the addition of a fourth LNG train on Barrow along with associated systems within the existing plant.

EPAWA considers the expansion will meet its objectives for benthic species and habitat as well as marine environmental quality. The authority added that the proposal can be managed to meet the objective of air quality and atmospheric gases and also for marine fauna.

The expansion plans received a number of submissions during the public review period (July-September 2014), many of which concentrated on impacts to benthic communities, habitat, and marine environmental quality from horizontal directional drilling and offshore pipelaying activities.

Concerns also were raised over impacts on marine fauna (turtles in particular) from artificial light, noise and vibration, vessel movements and discharges, and air quality and greenhouse gas emissions.

Chevron plans to address these concerns by ensuring the clearing of up to 10 hectares of terrestrial vegetation at the plant site falls within the 332-hectare limit allowed under the Barrow Island Act 2003. It will refine the lighting design to reduce light emissions and potential impacts on marine fauna and minimize emissions of atmospheric pollutants by using management measures and pollution control technologies commensurate with best practice and best available technology.

The JV also plans to inject about 80,000 tpy of reservoir carbon dioxide generated by the fourth train proposal into the Dupuy Formation reservoir beneath Barrow Island using the existing reservoir carbon dioxide injection system infrastructure.

EPAWA noted and approved these measures. Chevron’s plan still needs approval from the Western Australian state government as well as Australia’s federal government.