Woodside announced that it has selected Bechtel as the preferred execution contractor for the proposed expansion of its Pluto LNG facility in Western Australia.
“Woodside will continue to work closely with Bechtel in preparation for award of the contract for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase. Activities will include continuing to refine the concept and costs.”
The FEED contract award will also include the option for the full execute phase contract, subject to a positive final investment decision, Woodside said. “Expanding Pluto LNG will provide the necessary infrastructure to commercialise Western Australian gas resources for years to come.”
Woodside is proposing a brownfield expansion of the Pluto LNG facility, including construction of a second LNG train with a targeted capacity of 4-5 MMT/Y (100% project), to facilitate development of the 7.3 TCF (2C, 100%) Scarborough gas resource.
Woodside is targeting FEED entry in Q1 2019 and a final investment decision in 2020, with Train 2 targeted to be ready for start-up in 2024. “These targets are subject to all necessary joint venture approvals, regulatory approvals and/or appropriate commercial arrangements being finalised.”

Updates:

On 27 Dec. 2018, Woodside announced that it has awarded a contract to Bechtel to undertake the FEED work for the Pluto train-2 project which includes “activities required to finalize the costs and technical definition for the proposed second LNG train at the Pluto LNG facility.”
The awarded contract also includes an option for Woodside to progress to a lump sum EPC contract for execute phase activities. This option is subject to, among other conditions, a positive FID being taken on the project.
The Pluto train-2 project will underpin Woodside’s preferred concept for the development of the 7.3 TCF (2C, 100%) Scarborough gas resource (Woodside 75%). The Australian operator is targeting FID for the Pluto train-2 project in 2020 and ready for start-up in 2024. “Achieving these milestones is subject to all necessary joint venture approvals, regulatory approvals and appropriate commercial arrangements being finalized.”
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