GORGON LNG PARTNERS FINALIZE $37- BILLION INVESTMENT

UNCLAS PERTH 000042


STATE FOR EEB MONOSSON
DOE FOR JEFF SKEER
USDOC FOR 3132/USFCS/OIO/EAP/JRULAND
USDOC FOR 4530/MAC/EAP/OPB/GPAINE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG EINV SENV AS
SUBJECT: GORGON LNG PARTNERS FINALIZE $37- BILLION INVESTMENT

REF: A. PERTH 40

B. PERTH 39

C. PERTH 38



1. Summary: The Gorgon Liquefied Natural Gas Project received
the official go-ahead September 14 at a high-profile signing
ceremony in Perth. Partners Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell
announced their expected final investment decision for the
estimated A$43 billion (US$37 billion) project. Federal
Resource Minister Martin Ferguson awarded the project production
licenses, and Western Australian (WA) State Premier Colin
Barnett granted final development approval. Gorgon will be
Australia's largest single resource project, and the largest
single U.S. investment in Australia. The project, which is also
subject to strict environmental conditions, is expected to have
a significant impact on the Australian economy, boosting
Australian GDP by A$65 billion (US$56 billion) over the 30-year
life of the project. End Summary.


Project Formally Welcomed at High-Profile Ceremony


2. At the high-profile signing -- attended by 200 key federal,
state, business, and diplomatic Qd organized with
strict secrecy invoked beforehand -- the Gorgon LNG Project
received the final green light from the state and federal
governments, and from partners Chevron (50 percent),ExxonMobil
and Shell (25 percent each) who announced their final investment
decisions and intentions to proceed with the project. The
signing clears the way for preliminary work to begin later this
year, and full construction in February 2010. Chevron, which is
leading development of the project, estimated the cost of the
first phase at A$43 billion (US$37 billion),slightly lower than
previous public estimates (A$50 billion; US$43 billion). This
includes a three-train, 15-million tons per year (mtpa) LNG
facility on class-A nature reserve Barrow Island, pipelines to
the Gorgon and Io-Jansz gas fields, injection of carbon dioxide
into an underground aquifer, and a 300-terajoule/day domestic
gas plant. Chevron Australia Managing Director Roy
Krzywosinski, in a press interview following the ceremony, said
the project had already signed A$2 billion (US$1.7 billion)
worth of contracts, and is "teed up and ready to go" on another
A$10 billion (US$8.6 billion) more in the coming weeks.


Gorgon Massive Investment


3. Both federal and state officials acknowledged the historic
significance of the Gorgon project investment. Federal Minister
Martin Ferguson, in awarding production licenses for the Gorgon
and Io-Jansz gas fields, observed that Gorgon will be "the
largest energy project ever undertaken in Australia." He also
noted the importance of the project to the Australian economy:
"Clearly, the next economic stimulus package for Australia must
come from the private sector, from projects like Gorgon," as
Australia moves to clear its deficit. Premier Barnett, in
signing off on the final development approval for the project,
called Gorgon a "world project," with investment from the U.S.
and Europe, and customers in Japan, China, India and South
Korea. The project is expected to create over 10,000 jobs at
peak construction, spend A$33 billion (US$28 billion) on local
goods and services, and generate more than A$40 billion (US$34
billion) in revenue for the federal government. With Chevron
and ExxonMobil contributing the bulk of the investment, the
project represents the largest-ever single U.S. investment in
Australia.


Environmental Conditions, Geosequestration


4. The formal signing also triggers the application of strict
environmental conditions for the Gorgon project. These include
23 environmental plans to minimize damage to flora and fauna on
Barrow Island, including flatback turtle conservation and coral
protection. The signing also invokes state and federal
responsibility for the project's proposed carbon dioxide
geosequestration plan further down the line. The project
proposes to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent, or 3.4
million tons per year, through reinjection of carbon dioxide
from the natural gas into a reservoir two kilometers below the
island. Ferguson told the audience that the Gorgon project will
be the world's largest carbon dioxide storage project to date,
and that "the Commonwealth is glad to accept liability" to clear
the way for the investment decision.


Comment: Challenges Ahead


5. The near-jubilant atmosphere at today's signing ceremony was
only slightly tempered by reminders of the challenges posed by
the size and complexity of the Gorgon project. Ferguson
acknowledged that the project is "a huge responsibility which
requires the world's best environmental planning and
engineering." Facing the prospect of massive infrastructure
spending, WA Premier Barnett wants the federal government to
keep its pledge to transfer 25 percent of Gorgon royalties,
which accrue to the federal government, back to the state to
fund critical infrastructure development. Potential skilled
labor shortages similar to those witnessed during the recent
mining boom are likely to recur, affecting the development of
competing LNG projects. Finally, competitors to the Gorgon
partners are also aware that Gorgon will meet a large portion of
Asia's anticipated new gas demand and complicate efforts to lock
in customers of their own. For the time being, however, it may
not be another "boom," but it's definitely big. End Comment.


CHERN