The first shipment of liquefied natural gas has departed from Kitimat
KITIMAT – At long last, the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) export has been shipped by LNG Canada.
LNG Canada is a joint venture between Shell, Petronas, Mitsubishi Corporation, PetroChina and KOGAS. JGC Fluor’s involvement in the LNG Canada Project continues through commissioning support and long-term operational readiness services.
Fluor and its joint venture partner JGC Corporation, has provided engineering, procurement, fabrication management, construction and commissioning services to build the facility prior to the start-up since 2018.
“This is a significant achievement in Canada’s energy landscape and a pivotal moment for Fluor,” says Mike Alexander, Fluor’s Business Group President of Energy Solutions. “First cargo marks the culmination of years of collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to project delivery excellence between LNG Canada, JGC and Fluor.
“We are honored to have played such a critical role in delivering the first phase of this world-class LNG facility – safely, efficiently and to the highest standards of quality. This milestone reinforces Fluor’s global leadership in delivering complex energy projects.”
The LNG Canada facility benefits from access to abundant, low-cost natural gas and an ice-free harbor. The plant is the first-of-its-kind in Canada with an annual production capacity of up to 14 million tonnes of LNG. It positions Canada as a major supplier of lower carbon natural gas to global markets and will operate under a 40-year license.
“This facility establishes the global benchmark for responsible LNG development,” says Pierre Bechelany, President of Fluor’s LNG & Power business. “Its design enables LNG Canada to produce LNG with some of the lowest emissions of any large-scale LNG facility in the world.”
JGC Fluor used a modular fabrication approach to achieve schedule efficiencies by allowing site preparation, early works and construction to occur at the same time as the module fabrication off-site. More than 215 modules were delivered and set into place at the site from January, 2022 to July, 2023. The largest modules measured approximately 45 meters wide, 75 meters deep and 47 meters in height. The project also included the construction of the second largest LNG storage tank in the world, standing 56 meters high and 75 meters in diameter with a volume of more than 225,000 cubic meters.
“Congratulations to our project team and the more than 35,000 workers who helped build the first phase of this facility meeting some of the world’s most stringent standards for safety, sustainability and environmental protection,” says James Ticer, Fluor Senior Vice President and Project Director for the LNG Canada Project. “Fluor’s commitment to local economic development and Indigenous community participation was a vital component of the project. JGC Fluor and our subcontractors spent a total of CAD 3.3 billion on goods and services contracted with Indigenous businesses and joint ventures, and nearly $200 million with local area businesses.”
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