Dispatch of 500th LNG cargo from North West Shelf Gas Project

18/9/95

Resources Development Minister Colin Barnett has congratulated the North West Shelf partners on another milestone in the project - the dispatch of the 500th liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from the North West Shelf Gas Project.

Mr Barnett said the outstanding success of the North West Shelf Gas Project - Australia's largest resource project - had put WA and Australia on the world map of LNG supply.

The Minister said the achievement had been notched up in just over six years, with the first cargo sent in July 1989.

"The North West Shelf Gas Project was the beginning of a new era of large-scale petroleum exploration and production in WA," Mr Barnett said.

"Seeing huge LNG tankers sail out of Dampier on their way to Japan has now become almost commonplace.

"By next century, these numbers could double or even treble as expected demand from growing Asian economies leads to further projects coming on stream."

Gas from the North West Shelf meets more than 40 per cent of WA's total energy needs and LNG contributes to the energy needs of more than 120 million Japanese.

The project has also secured short-term contracts for LNG sales to Spain and Turkey and has made three 'spot' sales to South Korea.

WA currently produces about 7.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG and supplies about eight per cent of the world market.

"WA is well placed, considering its proximity and impressive gas reserves, to meet expected energy demand in the growing Pacific Rim region," Mr Barnett said.

The Minister said that an expansion of the North West Shelf LNG plant and an independent greenfield LNG development were also under active consideration.

He said these and other prospects for LNG from Western Australia gave him confidence that WA would be in a position to achieve its target to supply 20 million tonnes per annum, or about 15 per cent of world LNG trade, by 2010.

To outline WA's ability to play a more significant role in meeting the Pacific Rim region's growing energy needs, the Minister will deliver a keynote address at the Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference in Singapore this week.

Media contact: Carolyn Vicars - 222 9699