Bechtel Wins Pluto Train 2 Feed Contract
Australia’s Woodside has awarded the contract for front-end engineering design (Feed) for the Pluto Train 2 project in Western Australia to US engineering company Bechtel, it said December 27.
The Feed work includes activities required to finalise the costs and technical definition for the proposed second LNG train at the Pluto LNG facility. The awarded contract also includes an option for Woodside to progress to a lump sum engineering, procurement and construction contract for execute phase activities, the company said, adding, “This option is subject to, among other conditions, a positive final investment decision (FID) being taken on the project.”
Woodside CEO Peter Coleman said the decision to enter Feed for the Pluto Train 2 project is a significant step towards progressing the Burrup Hub – a regional LNG production centre in northern Western Australia. “Our Burrup Hub vision is taking shape as we work with Bechtel to progress the Pluto Train 2 project, which will create a pathway for the globally cost-competitive development of Western Australian gas resources,” he said.
Woodside is proposing a brownfield expansion of the Pluto LNG facility, including construction of a second LNG train with a targeted capacity of 5mn mt/yr, to facilitate development of the 7.3 trillion ft3 Scarborough gas resource. Woodside said in March 2018 it plans to develop the Scarborough gasfield, which it now operates, through its Pluto LNG onshore facility.
The company is targeting FID for the Pluto Train 2 project in 2020 and ready for start-up in 2024. Achieving these milestones is subject to all necessary joint venture approvals, regulatory approvals and appropriate commercial arrangements being finalised.