Mitsui to ferry PNG and Gorgon gas
Japanese shipping outfit Mitsui OSK Lines has signed long-term charters for two of its liquefied natural gas carriers with PNG LNG project in Papua New guinea, and will build a further four LNG vessels under separate deals with PNG LNG and the Gorgon venture off Australia.
PNG LNG project partner Oil Search said in a release today that the deals included the charter of the two newbuild vessels for export of LNG from the project near Port Moresby, plus the building of a further two carriers for the project.
ExxonMobil heads the PNG LNG venture.
The other two vessels to be built will be used to ferry LNG to Asian markets from the Gorgon processing planton Barrow Island off Western Australia. ExxonMobil is a partner in the Chevron-led venture.
The chartered vessels are both 177,000-cubic-metre- capacity carriers to be completed this year at Hyundai Heavy Industries yard in South Korea, a Mitsui statement quoted by Oil Search said.
They will be operated by Mitsui.
The four planned vessel will be built at Chinese shipyards with deliveries expected between 2014 and 2016.
The $15 billion PNG LNG project will produce up to 6.3 million tonnes per annum from two trains, with first production in 2013 or 2014.
The $40 million Gorgon project will produce up to 15 million tonnes per annum of LNG, with first exports expected in 2014.
Mitsui was reported to be in the running for key export contract from PNG LNG along with Danish shipping giant Moller Maersk.
Wednesday 3 March 2010
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