LNG

Feb 28 (LNGJ) - Strike Energy, the Australian exploration and production company in the onshore Perth Basin of Western Australia, noted in its latest earnings that energy players were awaiting a decision on whether the state would be banning the export of onshore gas as LNG amid forecasts of a shortage of domestic gas in the coming years.

   Strike Energy said that the natural gas warnings came as 2023 was deemed the worst year for gas exploration activities in the state of WA for the last 25 years. Strike said that its Walyering gas field in the Perth Basin started production in the fiscal first quarter with gas and condensate generating A$8.13 million (US$5.32M) in revenue for the company. WA state spot natural gas prices were relatively stable at an average of the equivalent of around US$6.20 per million British thermal units during the period.

Two Australian exploration and production companies, Talon Energy and Strike Energy, have signed an agreement to supply LNG exporter Santos with natural gas for the domestic market from their Walyering gas field in the Perth Basin of Western Australia.

Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) said it was close to starting up the Pluto LNG-to-Karratha Gas Plant Interconnector linking the two LNG export facilities in Western Australia operated by Woodside.

Mitsui & Co., the Japanese conglomerate and LNG market participant in the shipping and project sectors, has completed the takeover of Australian natural gas operator AWE and has immediately agreed to acquire a gas plant in the state of Victoria in southeast Australia.

April 4 (LNGJ) - Mitsui & Co., the Japanese conglomerate and LNG market participant in the shipping and project sectors, is close to gaining majority control of Australian natural gas operator AWE and its Perth Basin joint venture in Western Australia. Mitsui said that as part of its US$460 million takeover bid for AWE it had now been accorded 48 percent of the shares. Once the conglomerate reaches 50.1 percent of the shares in the Australian Securities Exchange-listed company its takeover offer becomes unconditional. AWE’s assets include a 50 percent stake and operatorship of the promising Waitsia onshore natural gas project.

Australian Energy company AWE, a substantial stakeholder in the largest onshore natural gas discovery in Western Australia for 40 years, was awaiting the next moves following a US$325 million takeover offer from a state-owned energy company in China.

Feb 27 (LNGJ) – Western Australia, the main LNG-producing state in the country, is boosting its domestic supplies. AWE Ltd, operator of a production licence in the Western Australian onshore Perth Basin, has agreed a non-binding accord with AGL Wholesale Gas for the first gas sale from stage two of the Waitsia Gas Project. The deal is for 15 percent of nominal daily production capacity. Total capacity will be the equivalent of 95 million cubic feet per day, or 10 percent of the Western Australian domestic gas needs for 10 years. “AGL is one of Australia’s leading integrated energy companies and we are pleased to be able to contribute to their entry into the Western Australia market with the first gas sale from Waitsia stage two,” said David Biggs, Chief Executive of AWE.

Dec 9 (LNGJ) - AWE Ltd., the Sydney-based Australian energy company, said its Waitsia natural gas project in the Perth onshore basin of Western Australia was making strong progress towards its stage two development. The project could free up more feed-gas for LNG production and exports in the state. The Waitsia joint venture partners, AWE and Origin Energy, have approved the 2017 development budget, including drilling the final two appraisal wells from April to June 2017. AWE added that it had commenced a tender process and bids had been received for Waitsia stage two, which could supply 10 percent of WA's domestic gas demand for 10 years.