Woodside Energy Ltd. reports that preparatory installation work has begun for an 81-mi (130-km), 42-in. natural gas pipeline offshore Australia.

The work is part of the North West Shelf Venture’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion project, designed to meet increased demand from new LNG customers, as well as for potential gas-based projects on the Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia.

The line will link the venture’s offshore gas production with gas processing facilities on the peninsula. Construction started with the installation of tubing and cabling on the North Rankin A gas production platform. The next step is to lay the 42-in. pipeline.

This past year, Woodside awarded a contract for the engineering, procurement and construction management of the pipeline and LNG plant to a Kellogg Brown & Root joint venture. The venture includes JGC Corp., Hatch-Kaiser Engineers and Clough Engineering.

Contracts totaling some $212 million have been awarded for the second trunk-line project, including provision of line pipe, weight-coating, offshore pipe laying, shore crossing and platform modifications.

The North West Shelf venture includes project operator Woodside Energy Ltd., BHP Billiton Petroleum (North West Shelf) Pty Ltd., BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd., ChevronTexaco Australia Pty Ltd., Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty Ltd., and Shell Development (Australia) Pty Ltd. An early 2004 completion is planned.