Bonaparte LNG JV lets pre-FEED contract

Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Jan. 12 -- GDF Suez Bonaparte, operator of a joint venture with Santos Ltd. in the Bonaparte Gulf off northern Australia, awarded contracts for pre-FEED of the Petrel-Tern-Frigate LNG project to KBR Inc.’s Granherne subsidiary and Paris-based Doris Engineering.

Officials said it is the first major milestone since GDF Suez and Santos established the JV in August 2009 to develop a floating LNG project in the region based on gas production from the three fields 250 km west of Darwin.

The project will be designed to produce 2 million tonnes/year of LNG. A final investment decision is expected in 2014 leading to first LNG production in 2018.

Granherne is a consultancy firm, and its input will be managed from its Asia-Pacific regional office in Perth.

GDF Suez has 60% of the project and Santos, 40%.