Gorgon applies for fourth Barrow Island LNG train

May 4, 2011
Chevron Australia has applied for environmental approval for a fourth LNG train on Barrow Island.

Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent

MELBOURNE, May 4 -- Chevron Australia has applied for environmental approval for a fourth LNG train on Barrow Island.

The company says it has found sufficient gas to support such a move and that it plans to begin front-end engineering and design work on the extended Gorgon project in 2012.

This could lead to a final investment decision on the fourth train towards the end of 2013 and the start of construction in 2014.

Under the environmental approval application, Chevron is seeking approvals for Train 4 and its associated infrastructure, a gas pipeline system, and a horizontal directionally drilled shore crossing. It is also seeking approvals for offshore subsea production infrastructure that could include 38-63 producing wells.

Chevron says the fields most likely to be considered for the Barrow Island plant extension include Yellowglen, Chandon, Satyr, Achilles, Maenad, Orthus, Geryon, Dionysus, Dionysus North, Chrysaor, and West Tryal Rocks.

A number of these are relatively recent discoveries while others have been waiting commercial development since the 1990s and earlier.

The proposed feed gas pipeline system from these fields will cross both federal and state waters to reach Barrow, but the route won’t be finalized until the completion of technical, environmental, safety, and economic performance evaluations.

The onshore component of the pipeline system will lie within the foundation three-train Gorgon project easement to connect to the gas treatment plant being built on the east coast of the island.

Chevron says the 50 ha of ground required for a fourth train and its associated facilities has already been cleared for the initial Gorgon work, although it may require an additional 10 ha for the pipeline shore crossing and other onshore components of the pipeline.

Nevertheless this area is included within the 300 ha made available under the Barrow Island Act.

Construction and operations workforce will be accommodated in the village already assessed and approved for the foundation project.