Gladstone Makes 1st LNG Shipment From Queensland To Asia

The tanker Methane Rita Andrea made commodity history on Monday afternoon when it left Gladstone Harbour's Auckland Point to deliver to Singapore the world's first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) processed from coal seam gas (CSG).

The custom-built gas tanker started loading on Sept 28. It contains 145,000 cubic metres of LNG.

Later this week, the second shipment will leave from Fairway Buoy, using the LNG vessel Methane Mickie Harper, reports the Gladstone Observer.

More tankers will leave Queensland in the coming months when LNG production by Queensland Curtis LNG reaches 8 million tonnes per annum, estimated to be by 2016. By then, vessel departures will be 360 gas ships yearly, reports ABC.

This is dependent on the completion of three multi-train LNG projects side-by-side on Curtis Island, costing $60 billion.

Completion of these construction projects, which started in 2010, would be one of the greatest achievement of global firm Bechtel in its 116 years of existence, said Alasdair Cathcart, global LNG general manager of Bechtel.

At the rate LNG projects are being built in Australia, the country is expected to be the biggest exporter of LNG in a few years.

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To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au