Woodside has disclosed that the processing of gas from the offshore Pluto fields has commenced ahead of schedule at the North West Shelf Project’s (NWS) Karratha Gas Plant (KGP). This accelerated production of Pluto gas has been enabled by the start-up of the Pluto-KGP Interconnector (Interconnector). The Interconnector is a 3.2 kilometre pipeline which connects Pluto LNG with KGP, providing access for other resource owners’ gas to be processed at KGP.

 The start-up of the Interconnector supports the accelerated production of gas from the first phase of Pluto’s Pyxis Hub by enabling it to be processed at KGP. Ready for start-up was achieved for the first phase of Pyxis Hub in October 2021.

KGP is expected to process approximately 2.5 million tonnes of LNG in aggregate and approximately 20 petajoules of domestic gas from Pluto in the period 2022 to 2025. This follows the exercise by Woodside Burrup Pty Ltd of a contract reduction option under the gas processing agreement it entered into with the NWS Project participants in December 2020.

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said the accelerated production from the offshore Pluto fields through the Interconnector is a significant achievement. “The start-up of the Pluto-KGP Interconnector provides access to spare capacity at Karratha Gas Plant to process gas owned by other resource owners, both onshore and offshore Western Australia. The commencement of Pluto gas flowing through the Interconnector is the first example of this.

 “The processing of gas from the offshore Pluto fields through Karratha Gas Plant enables Woodside to deliver additional LNG cargoes into the international gas market. “The commercial agreements underpinning third-party gas processing at the North West Shelf reflect the commitment of Woodside and the North West Shelf Project to maximising value from the significant infrastructure on the Burrup Peninsula,” she said. The NWS Project participants are: Woodside Energy Ltd (Operator; 16.67%); BHP Petroleum (North West Shelf) Pty Ltd (16.67%); BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd (16.67%); Chevron Australia Pty Ltd (16.67%); Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty Ltd (16.67%) and Shell Australia Pty Ltd (16.67%). Woodside Burrup Pty Ltd holds a 90% interest in Pluto LNG and operates the Pluto LNG facilities. The Pluto-KGP Interconnector pipeline was constructed and is operated by AGI Operations Pty Limited.