Black & Veatch wins FEED contract for Canada’s Ksi Lisims LNG project

July 18, 2023, by Aida Čučuk

LNG infrastructure solutions company Black & Veatch, in collaboration with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) of South Korea, has been awarded a front-end engineering design (FEED) contract for the Ksi Lisims LNG nearshore floating production facility in northwest Canada.

Developed jointly by Western LNG, the Nisga’a Nation and Rockies LNG, the project is expected to be one of the most significant Indigenous-led infrastructure projects in Canadian history. It will be hosted by the Nisga’a Nation on their wholly-owned treaty land.

With commercial operations anticipated to begin in 2028, Ksi Lisims LNG is expected to produce up to 12 million metric tons of LNG per year for export to overseas markets.

According to Black & Veatch, once completed, it will have among the world’s lowest unit carbon emissions rates of any large-scale LNG export projects globally, providing global energy markets with low-carbon, reliable LNG that will help meet growing energy needs and reduce the need for base-load coal plant construction.

Through connection with British Columbia’s (BC’s) renewable hydroelectric grid and the use of innovative design features, the project’s greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be 90% lower than conventional LNG facilities, and combined with a credible offset management plan, the project is predicted to be net zero by 2030.

Davis Thames, President and CEO of Western LNG, expressed delight to be working with Black & Veatch and SHI, noting that the agreement demonstrates the two companies’ confidence in the fundamentals of the Ksi Lisims project.

Javid Talib, Vice President and Managing Director in Black & Veatch’s energy resources industries business, said: “We see this FEED award as an important step as we move towards working together on the engineering and construction of this world-class project.”

Eva Clayton, President of the Nisga’a Lisims government, noted that the project “will be the heartbeat of our Nation’s economy. It’s our best chance to build prosperity and a positive future for our people. After nearly 10 years of planning work, we’re thrilled to see the project advance into FEED.”