LNG

Malaysian state energy company Petronas said the company was expanding its LNG fleet by three vessels to handle cargoes from the LNG Canada export project in British Colombia where Petronas is a shareholder.

LNG Canada, the Shell-led project in the Pacific Coast province of British Columbia, may decide to double the current capacity from 14 million tonnes per annum to 28 MTPA if the five shareholders agree to proceed before the first cargo is shipped by around the end of 2024.

That’s the view of LNG Canada Chief Executive Jason Klein who is overseeing the construction of the plant near Kitimat which along with the Coastal GasLink pipeline bringing feed-gas from northeast BC will be 70 percent complete or even slightly more by year-end.

The largest private investment in Canadian history and with an export licence for 40 years it is ideally placed to satisfy the LNG cargoes needs of the growing Asia-Pacific market.

CEO Klein said in an interview with Canada’s “Financial Post” that he regularly hears the word “completion” of first phase followed by the word “expansion” in his calls with the project partners who are all Asia-based.

“There is more urgency, but we are already doing everything we can to build it as quickly as possible,” said Klein.

As European and Asian countries compete to secure gas shipments for delivery this winter amid the worst energy crisis in decades, Klein stated that Canada’s first LNG export project was progressing well.

The main engineers on the project are Fluor Corp. of the US and JC Corp. of Japan.

Investments

Among the shareholders, Shell owns 40 percent, Petronas of Malaysia has 25 percent, PetroChina holds 15 percent as does Mitsubishi Corp of Japan through its Diamond LNG subsidiary, while Korea Gas Corp. owns the remaining 5 percent. 

The five shareholders had agreed in October 2018 to invest C$40 billion (US$30.2Bln at the time) on the brownfield site that had been an energy products terminal before being acquired by Shell in 2011.

The work on the initial two mega-Trains each with capacity of 7 MTPA has suffered hold-ups because of Covid-19 amid a dispute over schedules with the pipeline company TC Energy, so the final cost of the overall project could be much higher.

“When we start up, that’s over 14 million tonnes of supply on phase one that’s going to go into the market,” said Klein in his interview.

“It’s probably going to land in Asia in the first instance, just because of the shipping synergies,” he added.

Asia centred

“I’m a firm believer that every cargo we put into Asia, frees up a cargo somewhere else to go to Europe. So I do think Western Canada has a role to play in this,” explained Klein.

He noted that the LNG Canada project was originally conceived as a potential supplier for premium Asian markets.

However, in the seven months since the start of the war in Ukraine energy prices have skyrocketed and gas exporters, particularly along the US Gulf Coast, have pivoted to Europe.

Klein acknowledged that one potential solution under discussion to curtail LNG Canada’s greenhouse-gas emissions in the second phase would involve complete electrification of the liquefaction process.

Currently, in the project’s first phase, the plant’s huge compressors are powered by natural gas.

FID considerations

“I think the case remains compelling. It is very strong. And we’re looking forward to a phase two positive (final investment decision) with our partners,” stated Klein.

“It comes down to five decisions in five boardrooms around the world,” he concluded.

He said the project was advancing quickly with its workforce expected to peak in 2023 at around 7,500 employees

CEO Klein was nominated to his position by Shell in April 2022, having begun his career with the major in 2016, following its acquisition of BG Group where Klein worked in the Middle East, Europe, North America and Australia in roles spanning the legal function, upstream operations and LNG developments.

Following the BG takeover, Klein became Vice President of US LNG within Shell’s Integrated Gas business, responsible for leading its development of the Elba Island LNG plant now operational near Savannah in the US state of Georgia.

He has a Bachelor of Science from Trinity University in San Antonio in Texas and a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law.

LNG Canada, the Shell-led project in the province of British Columbia, has named Shell executive Jason Klein as the new Chief Executive of the project, now described as 60 percent complete and also moving onto gas-processing infrastructure development to join with the Coastal GasLink.

Shell said Klein joins LNG Canada from Shell Canada, where he served as Vice President of Canada Integrated Gas. Klein replaces outgoing CEO Peter Zebedee.

The company said Klein brought to the position “a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of LNG, its role in the global energy transition to lower carbon energy and the part LNG Canada will play” in that transition.

The UK-based major noted in the statement that the project at Kitimat in BC was the largest private investments in Canadian history and was a long-life asset with a 40-year export licence that will initially produce 14 million tonnes per annum of LNG for export.

“I’m excited to join the team, especially at this time with construction in Kitimat progressing steadily and safely towards completion and the organization preparing for decades of successful operations,” explained Klein.

“LNG Canada and its joint venture participants are committed to setting the benchmark for economically, environmentally and socially responsible LNG development in Canada, creating a positive and lasting legacy with First Nations, the local community and all British Columbians based on our values of safety, collaboration, respect and transparency,” he stated.

Upstream to LNG

Klein began his career with Shell in 2016, following its global acquisition of BG Group where Jason held assignments in the Middle East, Europe, North America and Australia in roles spanning the legal function, upstream operations and LNG developments over a period of 13 years (starting in 2003).

“Following the BG takeover, Klein became Vice President US LNG within Shell’s Integrated Gas business, responsible for leading its development of the Elba Island LNG project near Savannah, Georgia,” added the Shell statement.

He has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Trinity University in San Antonio in Texas and a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law.

“Jason takes over accountability for LNG Canada at a very important and active time,” said Susannah Pierce, Shell Canada President and Country Chairperson.

“He has extensive background in natural gas and LNG and a commitment to ensuring LNG Canada’s relationships with First Nations, communities and other stakeholders remain strong and resilient,” added Pierce.

LNG Canada remains on track and there are currently around 5,000 Canadians employed at its Kitimat site.

A huge natural gas inlet module that will take volumes off the Coastal GasLink pipeline arrived on site in March and marked what the company said was the “next phase” of development.