Narelle continues to disrupt Australia LNG despite its weakening from tropical cyclone
Ex-Tropical cyclone Narelle, which has been affecting Australia's Queensland state and Northern Territory since March 20, further affected production at two of Australia’s largest liquefied natural gas plants. The storm system was waning in the country's northwestern region. Narelle, which has been sweeping across Australia's Queensland and Northern Territory state since it made landfall on March 20 as a Category 4 tropical cyclone, hit Western Australia on Friday, affecting LNG plant run by Woodside and Chevron.
The impact of the storm on LNG plants has increased a global shortage caused by the Iran War.
A spokesperson for Chevron Australia said that the company was working on restoring production at its Gorgon?gas and Wheatstone gas facilities after production outages caused by Narelle.
In a press release, the spokesperson stated that "severe weather related to the passage of Tropical Cyclone Narelle is likely what caused the interruptions in both Gorgon and Wheatstone's operations." We will resume full production in both facilities as soon as it is safe to do so.
Gorgon, Australia's biggest LNG export facility, produces 15.6 million metric tonnes a year, with three processing trains. Wheatstone, on the other hand, has two?trains that produce 8.9 million.
Woodside reported that a "production disruption due to the Cyclone" continued at the Karratha gas plant, the onshore facility for the North West Shelf Project, whereas production at the Macedon and Pluto plants was unaffected.
A spokesperson stated that production at the North West Shelf Project will resume once Woodside can mobilise their workforce to their offshore facilities. Port of Dampier reopened Saturday after being closed Thursday because of Narelle. However, "general cargo import operations" remain suspended, according to the port operator.
It said that an "inspection identified significant damage to assets across Pilbara Ports' general cargo precinct caused by destructive wind, wave uplift force, swell and storm surge". Port access was restricted only to key personnel.
It added that the Port of Ashburton (about 100 km north) would remain closed until inspections were completed.
Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister at the time, said that Narelle was still dangerous despite its downgrading due to heavy rain and winds. In televised comments, he stated that the federal government is "ready to assist with recovery."
Australia's weather website reported that the ex-cyclone had moved east of Geraldton (about 375 km north of Perth, the state capital of Western Australia), and was weakening south-southeast as it moved.
Australia is now the second largest LNG exporter in the world after?Qatar halted production last month due to damage caused by Iranian airstrikes. The blockade of Iran's Strait of Hormuz by Israel and the U.S. during their war began a month earlier has also disrupted global LNG exports from the Middle East. (Reporting and editing by William Mallard, Lincoln Feast and Sam McKeith)
(source: Reuters)
