Four years after it gave the go ahead to the project, the USenergy major has begun to ramp up output at the $19bn facility near PortMoresby.
When it reaches full capacity it will produce 6.9 milliontonnes of LNG per annum (mtpa) with the volumes contracted to Asian buyers.
Ship tracking data reveals that GasLog’s 153,600-cbm GasLog Chelsea (built 2010) is due to arrive in Papua New Guinea by the end of the month with the first cargo expected to be lifted by the end of June.
The vessel is one of two engaged by PNG LNG to bridge the gap until it receives vessels chartered from Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) on long-term contracts.
As TradeWinds has reported, a pair of MOL carrierswill undergo short spells in drydock ahead of starting work for PNG LNG.
The 177,000-cbm Ben Badis (built 2011) entered SembawangShipyard at the end of March after being redelivered by trader Vitol while sistership Abdelkader(built 2010) is completing a time charter with Korea Gas Corp (Kogas).
The Japanese owner also has a pair of newbuildings for theproject under construction at China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding(Group).
ExxonMobil is the operator and controlling shareholder ofthe project with a 33.2% ahead of Oil Search.
