Shell’s Australian Prelude FLNG still on for Q2

LONDON (ICIS)–Anglo-Dutch Shell’s CFO Jessica Uhl said the 3.6mtpa Australian floating LNG Prelude project would ship its first LNG cargo in the second quarter.

Prelude produced a first condensate cargo in the first quarter.

Shell had previously said that the first LNG cargo would be announced once all safety testing has been completed.

As a result, the timeline for the first cargo of LNG had slipped back.

The company would not comment on a more precise timeline.

Australian exports surged during the first quarter of 2019 amid a ramp up of production from recently-started projects.

Year on year, Australian LNG exports were 18% higher.

By the end of 2019, Australian production could reach a total of 7mtpa monthly total, topping Qatar as the world’s biggest producer.