(Energy Voice) Shell has started production from the world’s largest floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility.
The energy giant said wells have been opened at the Prelude FLNG platform, around 295miles north-north east off the coast of Broome, Western Australia.
It will now enter the initial phase of production with gas and condensate – and ultra-light form of crude oil – being produced and moved through the facility.
Prelude is expected to have an annual production capacity of 3.6million tonnes of LNG, 1.3million tonnes of condensate and 400,000 tonnes a year of liquefied petroleum gas.
LNG is a massive industry for Australia and has seen a wave of huge projects sanctioned by energy majors in the last decade.
Inpex’ Ichthys development is the latest export project to be started-up.
Australia overtook Qatar as the world’s largest LNG exporter in November.
