Woodside’s $14.9 billion Pluto Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project has produced its first LNG.

 

The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP, said it is a momentous announcement for Woodside and its partners, but also for Australia.

 

“This project is very important to the energy industry and the national economy more broadly,” said Minister Ferguson.

 

“Woodside estimates that 15,000 Australian jobs have been created over the course of construction including a peak on site workforce of 4,000 and more than $7.6 billion has been pumped into the Australian economy.

 

“The project has faced difficult conditions, and I welcome the news that Pluto is now in production, with LNG ready to be shipped to customers in Japan.

 

"Once Pluto reaches full production Australia’s total LNG exports will increase from around 20 million tonnes per annum to 24.5 million tonnes per annum.” 

 

The Pluto LNG Project is located on the Burrup Peninsula, 10kms north-west of Karratha, WA. Train one will have production capacity of 4.3 million tonnes per annum. The facility is supported by an offshore platform connected to five subsea wells on the Pluto gas field and a 180km pipeline to the facility.

 

Woodside operate the Pluto LNG Project and hold 90 per cent ownership, with Tokyo Gas and Kansai Electric, two major customers, each owning five per cent.

 

Since late 2007, Woodside has worked with CO2 Australia to implement a $100 million carbon offset program, the largest commercial program in Australia dedicated to forest sink carbon plantings. The program has already seen 20 million trees planted, with seven million more to follow.

 

Woodside and their contractors have also worked with local communities to provide employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians. The Pluto project exceeded the goal of employing 150 Indigenous Australians during the construction stage of the project.