Shell Prelude Floating FLNG Barge: A Potentially Catastrophic Failure of Safety Standards

Posted by John Donovan: 12 May 2023

In yet another display of negligence and incompetence, Shell has shamefully suspended production at its Prelude floating LNG facility off Western Australia. The reason? A “trip.” How convenient that Shell conveniently brushes off this serious incident with such a casual technical term, downplaying the gravity of the situation.

Shell’s spokesperson, undoubtedly well-trained in corporate spin, reassures the public that they are working “methodically” to restart production, with safety apparently being their primary concern. But let’s not forget that this is the same company that has repeatedly demonstrated a reckless disregard for safety, as evidenced by the litany of incidents that have plagued the Prelude FLNG facility. read more

BP agrees to buy Shell’s stake in Australian Browse gas project

By Samuel Mckeith: REUTERS April 29, 20237:26 AM GMT+1

SYDNEY, April 29 (Reuters) – BP (BP.L) has agreed to buy rival giant Shell’s (SHEL.L) 27% stake in the Browse joint venture, expanding its holding in Australia’s largest untapped gas resource in a move that could improve the development prospects for the long-stalled project.

The Browse project, estimated to cost $20.5 billion, has been stuck on the drawing board for years but is now being considered as a replacement for ageing gas fields to supply the North West Shelf LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant. read more

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Shell sells stake in $30b Woodside gas project to BP

Energy giant Shell expects boost in gas production

August Graham, PA Business Reporter

Energy giant Shell has said it expects to have produced more gas in the opening three months of this year than it did during the close of last year even as prices drop from recent extremes.

The oil and gas major said developments in Australia would also help it supply more liquid gas – the type transported by ship – to countries around the world.

The company’s shares rose by 1.8% after the news, while rival BP also saw a 0.6% boost.

Shell expects to have produced between 930,000 and 970,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day from its integrated gas division over the three months, up from 917,000 in the last quarter of 2022.

It also expects to load ships with between seven and 7.4 million tonnes of liquid natural gas (LNG) during the quarter, an increase from 6.8 million tonnes in the previous three months. read more

…problems included repeated outages at its Prelude liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility off the western coast of Australia…

REUTERS

Shell CEO creates chief of staff role in management overhaul

By Ron Bousso: February 23, 2023: 4:15 PM GMT

LONDON, Feb 23 (Reuters) – Shell (SHEL.L) Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan has created a senior role of chief of staff as part of a management overhaul to improve performance after technical problems and other disruption, three company sources said. read more

The most recent incident happened only a year after a similar fire forced the vessel to go down for nearly five months.

Shell’s Prelude FLNG Restarts First Cargo Since Fire

Zacks Equity Research: Mon, January 23, 2023 

Shell SHEL recently announced the restart of liquefied natural gas LNG cargoes from its Prelude floating LNG FLNG facility offshore Australia, following a temporary fire-related technical outage in December.

According to Shell, the fire was promptly put out and the area was declared safe; it also stated that no one was hurt and all of the facility’s workers were safe and well.

Following a small fire at the 3.6M metric tons/year facility, Prelude, the largest floating plant for natural gas liquefaction in the world, had paused its gas production last month due to an ongoing investigation. read more

naturalgasintel.com

Shell’s Prelude FLNG in Australia Still Offline After December Fire

Shell said a small fire was detected on Dec. 21 in a turbine enclosure and quickly extinguished. However, liquefied natural gas production was suspended pending an investigation, the company said. 

“We are working methodically through the stages in the process to recommence production with safety and stability foremost in mind,” a Shell spokesperson told NGI. 

The company also is working with regulators to restart operations, but there is no timeline.  read more

Report: Output from Shell’s Prelude FLNG Shut Again

BY Bartolomej Tomic, managing editor of Offshore Engineer.

December 22, 2022

Shell has stopped production at its Prelude floating LNG plant off Western Australia after a fire.

A Shell spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday that the fire at the giant FLNG unit “was rapidly extinguished.”

The 488-meter-long, Shell-operated, Prelude FLNG unit forms part of an offshore development that produces natural gas from the remote namesake field, located approximately 475 km north-northeast of Broome in Western Australia. The Prelude is the world’s largest FLNG unit. read more

Hellish working conditions on board the world’s biggest offshore gas site, Prelude

The Sydney Morning Herald

‘Forensic, fair and fascinating’: WAtoday wins at media awards

By Daile Cross: November 14, 2022 — 9.10am

Using information gathered through his unrivalled industry contact list, WAtoday business journalist Peter Milne exposed the hellish working conditions on board the world’s biggest offshore gas site, Prelude.

On Saturday night his exclusive reporting saw him win best Business, Economics or Finance report at the annual WA Media Awards, the state’s pre-eminent journalism awards. read more

Bloomberg

Shell Seeks Acquisitions to Bolster Australia Power Presence

James Fernyhough: Thu, November 3, 2022 at 1:21 AM

(Bloomberg) — Shell Plc is targeting acquisitions in Australia in its bid to become an integrated energy provider.

The London-based oil major is looking for a “step change” in its Australian presence from electricity generation to retail, including building up “significant battery positions,” Greg Joiner, chief executive officer of Shell Energy Australia, said in an interview.

Shell, which last week reported its second-highest earnings on record, is one of Australia’s biggest liquefied natural gas exporters, but is seeking to diversify away from fossil fuels and become the world’s biggest power company. The company has already made a string of acquisitions in Australia in recent years, including generation company ERM Power Ltd., retailer Powershop, and a stake in windfarm developer WestWind Energy Development Pty. read more

argusmedia.com

Shell restarts Australian Prelude LNG loadings

Published date: 19 September 2022

Shell has resumed LNG loadings at its 3.6mn t/yr Prelude floating LNG (FLNG) facility in the Browse basin offshore Western Australia following a shutdown of more than six weeks because of industrial action.

The resumption comes more than three weeks since the strike, which began on 10 June, stopped on 25 August.

The shipments follow the cancellation of protected industrial action after an in-principle enterprise agreement was reached with the Australian Workers’ Union and Electrical Trades Union in relation to the Prelude facility on 23 August, Shell said on 19 September. read more

Shell’s Prelude FLNG off Australia resumes LNG production, shipments

Sameer Manekar: Reuters: PUBLISHED SEP 18, 2022 06:19PM EDT

Sept 19 (Reuters) – Shell Plc SHEL.L said on Monday it has resumed producing and shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Prelude floating LNG (FLNG) facility, nearly a month after the oil and gas major and workers’ unions reached a wage deal.

In late August, Shell and unions representing workers at the floating facility off northwest Australia reached the deal, ending a long-running strike that had shut down the 3.6 million-tonne-a-year facility in July and halted LNG supplies. read more

abc.net.au

Shell, unions reach agreement in Prelude gas facility industrial dispute

ABC Kimberley / By Taylor Thompson-Fuller

Key points:

The industrial action began in early June

It resulted in Shell stopping shipments and suspending activity aboard

Shell and unions say they are happy to have finally reached an agreement

Industrial action aboard Shell’s floating LNG facility Prelude is set to come to an end after unions and the company reached an in-principle enterprise agreement for workers. read more

THE TIMES

Shell strike extension to compound energy crisis

Emily Gosden: Energy Editor

Shell Postpones Prelude LNG Turnaround Until Next Year

Shell plc SHEL recently stated that it is deferring the planned maintenance work at the Prelude floating liquefied natural gas facility, which was due to begin in September. The postponement came following the continued industrial action at the site situated off northwest Australia.

A Shell spokesperson mentioned in emailed comments, “As a result of the ongoing Protected Industrial Action and inability to complete preparation work, we are not able to proceed with the planned turnaround at this time.” read more

The Biggest of the Biggest: Prelude FLNG, the Largest Floating Edifice of All Time

A project of oil and gas giant Shell, the Prelude is simultaneously a stellar engineering achievement and a financial black hole.

13 Aug 2022, 16:11 UTC: by Razvan Calin

Over 530 yards long, 80 yards wide, more than 300 feet tall, and 660,000 tones heavy. The largest floating structure the world has ever put out to see is the Prelude offshore natural gas facility. Completed in under five years, the colossal ship-looking titan is made to work a quarter of a century in rough South Pacific waters. read more