Shell restarts Australian Prelude LNG loadings

Shell has resumed LNG loadings at its 3.6mn t/yr Prelude floating LNG (FLNG) facility in the Browse basin offshore Western Australia following a shutdown of more than six weeks because of industrial action.

The resumption comes more than three weeks since the strike, which began on 10 June, stopped on 25 August.

The shipments follow the cancellation of protected industrial action after an in-principle enterprise agreement was reached with the Australian Workers' Union and Electrical Trades Union in relation to the Prelude facility on 23 August, Shell said on 19 September.

The enterprise agreement has now been supported by a majority of employees in a formal vote and is expected to come into effect in early October, it said.

"We are focused on moving forward as a business and delivering affordable, reliable energy to our customers through continued safe, stable production in order to meet the critical global demand for energy security," Shell said.

The Prelude shutdown has affected Australia's LNG shipments. July exports dropped to a three-month low of 6.52mn t from 7.03mn t a year earlier.

The front half-month of the ANEA, the Argus assessment for spot LNG deliveries to northeast Asia, was last assessed at $39.60/mn Btu on 16 September, down by almost 42pc from $67.855/mn Btu on 31 August.

Prelude is 67.5pc owned by Shell, while Japanese upstream firm Inpex owns 17.5pc, South Korean gas firm Kogas owns 10pc and Taiwanese state-controlled energy firm CPC owns the remaining 5pc.

By Kevin Morrison