The WA Premier has congratulated the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project as it begins producing liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The Wheatstone Project has been under construction within the Ashburton North Strategic Industrial Area, near Onslow, since December 2011.
The US$34 billion project includes two LNG processing trains with a total capacity of 8.9 million tonnes per year, plus a 200 terajoules per day domestic gas plant.
The Wheatstone joint venture participants have committed more than A$250 million to critical and social infrastructure in Onslow, including a new hospital, airport, power and water service upgrades, a new shire administration centre, swimming pool, housing, and road improvements.
The Wheatstone Project is a joint venture between the Australian subsidiaries of Chevron, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company, Woodside Petroleum and Kyushu Electric Power Company, together with PE Wheatstone, part-owned by JERA.
Shipment of the first LNG cargo is expected in the coming weeks.