Shell taking time with Prelude FLNG commissioning

The Hague-based LNG giant Shell said it is in no rush with the commissioning process of its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility located offshore Western Australia. 

The company has already started feeding the gas into the pipes in the third quarter last year and opened up a number of wells and fed the gas to the unit for liquefaction in December.

Speaking at an event in Melbourne, Shell Australia chairman Zoe Yujnovich, noted the company is not rushing the commissioning process.

“We’re taking time to do this safely and remaining in control,” she said.

“Prelude is a multi-decade facility and, while we all find near-term milestones exciting, the success of Prelude will be measured by delivering sustained performance over a much longer time horizon,” Juinovich said.

The company noted in December that following the opening of wells, the unit entered the start-up and ramp-up, which is the initial phase of production where gas and condensate is produced and is moved through the facility.

Following the completion of this process, the facility will be stabilized for reliable production of LPG and then LNG.

The FLNG facility is expected to stay moored at the Prelude gas field offshore Western Australia for 25 years. It is designed to produce 3.6 mtpa of LNG, 1.3 mtpa of condensate and 0.4 mtpa of LPG for export.