West Coast Of Australia News

Shell has almost finished extensive maintenance at its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility off Australia and is set to resume exports next month, according to industry sources and shipping data.The timing of the giant floating facility's return to operations is likely to coincide with peak consumption in major markets, including China and Europe, as winter in the northern hemisphere drives demand, although high inventories have limited buying so far this year.In a sign that the work…

Shell is expected to complete maintenance at its flagship Prelude liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility off Australia by mid-November, two sources close to the project told Reuters on Wednesday.The British energy giant started maintenance work at the 3.6-million metric ton a year floating LNG plant in August. A top Shell executive then said in September it was a "major turnaround" work that would last roughly two months.The maintenance is now expected to be completed by mid-November, slightly longer than initially planned after several new issues were discovered and fixed, one of the sources said."The first LNG delivery cargo is now expected by mid-November," the second source said.The last cargo to have left the facility was on Aug.

A Chinese intelligence ship was tracked off Australia's west coast within 50 nautical miles of a sensitive defense facility, Australia said on Friday, raising concern amid an election campaign about China's behavior in the region.Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Chinese navy vessel was not in Australian territorial waters but its presence was "concerning"."It is clearly an intelligence ship and they are looking at us and we're keeping a close eye on them," he told reporters.Australia…

Jan De Nul Group completed the capital dredging works for the Channel Risk and Optimization Project (CROP) in Port Hedland, Western Australia, and can look back on a successful three-year cooperation with the Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA).Over the past three years a combination of Hopper Dredgers, a Cutter Suction Dredger and Split Hopper Barges were deployed to dredge sections of the 42-km long navigational channel and to further enhance the safe and sustainable access to the port of Port Hedland.

The Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) engaged Jan De Nul Group to dredge the channel to the Port of Port Hedland. The project forms part of stage two of the Channel Risk and Optimization Project (CROP), a PPA initiative to sustain the long-term operation, development and future growth of the port of Port Hedland.Over the past several years, Jan De Nul Group has been the lead contractor on the majority of the capital dredging works as well as the maintenance dredging works within the port precinct of Port Hedland.

Australian oil and gas company with a global presence  Woodside announced that the Greater Western Flank Phase 2 (GWF-2) Project off the north-west coast of Australia has commenced gas production.A press release from the operator of the North West Shelf (NWS) project quoted its CEO Peter Coleman saying that  the project has been delivered $630 million below the expected cost of approximately $2.0 billion (100% basis) and six months ahead of schedule.“The project team has done an outstanding job executing and delivering GWF-2, which represents the next phase in gas supply to the NWS Goodwyn A platform, extending the life of the Karratha Gas Plant and contributing to Woodside achieving our targeted production of 100 MMboe in 2020…

The call of 'last line!' meant a little more than normal as HMAS Darwin slipped from the wharf at Fleet Base West and set sail for Sydney recently. It signalled the end of the warship's long association with the west coast of Australia, unlikely to return before she decommissions at the end of the year. The Adelaide class frigate called Western Australia home for almost 13 years from 18 December 1993, before being relocated to Fleet Base East on 21 April 2006. Darwin's Maritime Logistics Officer, Lieutenant Commander Chris Duke, served aboard the warship during the change of home port and the final visit to Fleet Base West. "This is the third time I have been posted to Darwin. In 1993 I was an Able Seaman Writer, conducting personnel management and administration functions," he said.

The Royal Australian Navy-operated Sail Training Ship Young Endeavour returned to Sydney recently after a 10-month circumnavigation of Australia. Since departing Sydney in May 2016, more than 500 young people have developed important leadership and life skills as part of the youth development program conducted onboard. During each of the 11 to 13-day voyages, 24 youth crew learnt the skills necessary to sail a square-rigged tall ship. This included how to navigate, keep watch, cook in the galley, set and furl sails, take the helm and climb the 30-metre mast. Each crew elected a leadership team to command the 44-metre brigantine, taking over while the Navy crew assisted.

The World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia will be the focus of a new marine research partnership between CSIRO and BHP Billiton Petroleum announced today. Ningaloo Reef is the largest fringing reef in the world, extending 300 kilometres along the North West coast of Australia. The five year, jointly funded A$5 million research program will include both deep and shallow reef research, turtle and shark tagging, a PhD scholarship scheme and opportunities to engage the local community, including BHP Billiton Petroleum employees, in Exmouth, WA. Minister for Industry and Science Ian Macfarlane, joined CSIRO Executive Director Environment, Dr Andrew Johnson, and BHP Billiton Petroleum General Manager, Doug Handyside to launch the partnership in Perth today.

participants have approved the Persephone Project off the north-west coast of Australia. The Persephone Project is the third major gas development for the NWS Project in the past six years, demonstrating the joint venture’s commitment to maximising the value of Australia’s largest operating oil and gas project. The project will involve a two well, 7km subsea tieback from the Persephone field to the existing North Rankin Complex. The total investment for the project is expected to be approximately A$1.2 billion (Operator’s estimate; 100% cost), with project start-up expected in early 2018. capabilities to unlock undeveloped resources and help maintain offshore supply to the Karratha Gas Plant.

Since the first deployment of in-situ monitoring instrumentation, biofouling has been a problem. Without an effective solution, people have historically had to accept the limits biofouling imposes on ocean sensing work, with significant repercussions. When instrumentation is deployed in-situ, the value of the data taken during the deployment corresponds with the longevity: information gleaned from a longer deployment is often more useful than information from one of a shorter term.

Otto Marine says it has clinched AUD57-million worth of charter contracts in Australia for two of its large deep water AHTS vessels. Otto Marine Limited, which owns and operates a large fleet of offshore support vessels, with shipyard and other specialized offshore services, says that it has secured time charter contracts with two oil majors for its deep water anchor handlers, GO Sirius and GO Spica. Employed in drilling and pre-lay support, the 16,300 BHP DP2 AHTS vessel GO Spica with a 210 tonnes bollard pull, will be mobilized to Australia for a long term charter off the North-West coast of Australia in August 2014. This vessel will be operated by the Group’s wholly- owned subsidiary, GO Marine Group.

Marine and coastal environment specialists, BMT Oceanica (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, announced today its appointment as Lead Consultant for the Western Australia Department of Fisheries (DoF) in a project to establish an aquaculture development zone. BMT Oceanica, in partnership with BMT WBM and the University of Western Australia, will play a key role in the strategic assessment of the proposed Mid West aquaculture development zone in the southern Abrolhos Islands, off the west coast of Australia. As part of the Western Australia Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, a number of technical studies need to be conducted.

The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Fiona Woolf, welcomed the foreign direct investment by Dubai’s DP World into London Gateway, while visiting the recently opened deep-sea container port and Europe’s largest logistics park. During her visit, the Lord Mayor, climbed one of the world’s largest quay cranes to have an elevated view of the massive three square mile site, where work is underway for a Common User Facility and other proposed distribution centers. The Right Honorable Fiona Woolf, said, “The Port of London has a vital role in this country’s great trading history.

In its latest subsea vessels report Douglas-Westwood (DW) forecast more than $100b of expenditure on subsea vessel operations over the next five years – with global demand is expected to increase by 23%. The increase in expenditure is expected to be higher than the growth in vessel days, due to the move towards higher specification vessels to cater for deeper and more complicated field development programs. Dayrates for high specification dive support vessels (DSV) and multipurpose support vessels (MSV) are expected to increase by over 40% by 2017.

The Royal Australian Navy Ships HMAS Sydney, Warramunga, and Sirius, which are based on both the east and west coast of Australia, have concluded their participation in Exercise Blue Raptor in the Northwest Shelf area. Exercise Blue Raptor was a maritime security exercise which tested communications, procedures and protocols between the Navy ships and other units of the Australian Defense Force with the oil and gas installations in the area. The exercise is part of a number of routine patrols conducted by the Navy in the region and was supported by a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion.

UTEC Survey contracted by a major subsea pipelay contractor for survey work on the Great Western Flank Pipe Lay. This project encompasses pre-lay, installation support and as-built survey support on the Greater Western Flank development off the North-west coast of Australia. Pre-lay work is due to commence in late March 2013 with the major pipelay activities to follow in Q3. UTEC’s equipment and personnel will operate from a number of vessels including one of the contractor’s state-of-the-art DP pipelay vessels capable of laying 16” CRA pipe. Commenting on the project, UTEC Regional Sales & Marketing Manager, Noel Cowley states: “This is a significant achievement for UTEC Australia.

Shell Gas & Power Developments B.V. (Shell) & the Technip Samsung Consortium (TSC) agree on FNLG development & operation. The companies have signed a heads of agreement to enhance collaboration on the design, engineering, procurement, construction and installation of future innovative FLNG facilities. The agreement builds on the existing relationship, formed in 2009, to ensure the parties can capitalize on insights gleaned from the design and construction of Shell’s Prelude FLNG facility and expand the technology offering to the energy market. It will drive a culture of joint delivery, continuous improvement and ensure greater value from the collaboration for all parties.

New hybrid tugs for Australian Gorgon Gas Field Project will use Canada-based Corvus batteries to reduce operational and environmental costs. More than two megawatts of batteries designed and manufactured by Corvus Energy will be at the heart of four new 542 kWh hybrid tugboats now being built for the Gorgon Project. One of the world's largest natural gas projects, Gorgon is currently under construction 130 km off the west coast of Australia. Once complete, it will become the largest natural resource project in Australia’s history. Since the Gorgon Gas Project is located in an environmentally sensitive area, project operators are endeavoring to create a world-class example of environmental management where conservation and development can successfully co-exist.

The third meeting of the Navigation Safety Advisory Group (NSAG) recently met to consider safety of navigation concerns in Australian waters. (NSAG is the peak consultative body for matters relating to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's (AMSA) responsibilities for the safety of navigation in Australian waters). The meeting attracted 24 navigation practitioners and representatives from the Australian Hydrographic Service, port and state marine authorities, industry peak bodies, shipping companies and marine pilots.

Technip gets a large subsea installation contract by Shell Development (Australia) Pty Ltd for the Prelude Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility moored some 200 kilometers off the north west coast of Australia, in the Browse Basin, at a water depth of approximately 240 meters. Technip’s operating centers in Perth, Australia, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will execute the contract, with engineering to commence immediately. Technip’s spoolbase in Orkanger, Norway, will be welding the flowline linepipe provided by Shell Development (Australia) Pty Ltd. Vessels from the Group’s fleet will be used for the offshore campaigns, including the Deep Energy and the Deep Orient.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service has opened its twentieth port office in Australia. The new office is in the remote port of Broome. Over 2000km from Perth and almost 2000km from Darwin, Broome is in close proximity to the rapidly growing oil and gas fields located off the North West coast of Australia which makes it an increasingly important support base for Australia’s booming offshore industry. Establishing an operation in Broome is therefore of strategic importance for Wilhelmsen Ships Service  to ensure that the comprehensive coverage of the company’s port network continues to be maximised. The Broome office will be headed by Frank Treasure…

Premuda, founded in 1907, and the first Italian shipping company to be publicly listed on the stock exchange, has achieved certification to the rigorous international quality and environmental standards of ISO 9001-2000 and ISO 14001-1996. The Genoa based operator of tankers, bulk carriers and an offshore production unit has also achieved certification to the voluntary Safety, Quality and Environmental (SQE) management standards of ABS, one of the world’s leading classification societies. The company is the first Italian based shipping company to achieve this integrated certification. Premuda is a prominent provider of international maritime transportation for the carriage of liquid and dry bulk cargoes, deploying a fleet of 25 ships aggregating more than 1.6 million deadweight tonnes.