LNG

GDF-Suez, the French LNG player, and its partner energy company Santos, have received the go-ahead from the Federal Environment Minister for their Bonaparte Floating LNG production project offshore northwest Australia.

The Bonaparte FLNG venture will be close to where Royal Dutch Shell is planning one of the first of such projects in the Prelude field of the Browse Basin.

The venture led by GDF-Suez plans to produce 2 million tonnes per annum from the Bonaparte field and a final investment decision is expected to be taken late next year or in early 2014.

The French-led project is now one of more than a dozen LNG developments moving forward in Australia, involving FLNG, shore-based projects in Western Australian and the Northern Territory and coal-seam-gas-to-LNG ventures in Queensland.

Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke said he approved the proposal by GDF-Suez and venture partner Santos to develop Bonaparte, but subject to 15 strict conditions.

The Bonaparte project floating hull will be located above the gas field and about 250 kilometres west of the city of Darwin.

The environmental approval of the Bonaparte FLNG project follows earlier clearance by the department of Shell's Prelude FLNG venture.

"My approval follows a rigorous assessment process under national environment law including the opportunity for public comment,"  said Environment Minister Burke.

"I have set 15 strict conditions to manage the potential impacts to migratory and threatened species, and the marine environment. A number of management plans will need to be implemented throughout the development phases and submitted for my approval," Burke said.

"This includes an Operational Phase Environment Plan, which must be submitted for my approval, will cover the management of discharges and minimise impacts on the marine environment," he added.

"The proponent will also need to implement procedures minimising impacts on whales and dolphins, including applying a 500-metre caution zone between whales and vessels to reduce potential impacts such as vessel strike.

"Importantly, the proponent will be required to adhere to all relevant measures to address the risk of a spill, including capacity to respond to a spill to protect the matters of National Environmental Significance," Burke said in his statement.

"The company (GDF-Suez) will be further required to submit an Operational Scientific Monitoring Program to enable an assessment of any impacts and implement an agreed monitoring program in the event of a spill," he added.