The Browse Basin project was originally going to be onshore - until the traditional land owners wouldn't release the land for somewhere in the tune for $3B AUD. Coupled with the budget blowout for the Gorgon Project building large LNG facilities in Australia will likely not happen again anytime soon.
The Prelude has had a lot of Australian engineering input but based on my experience working on the maintenance side with other FPSOs (especially those of Korean and Singaporan manufacture) there will be a lot of headaches with the Prelude.
Integrity control is at the top of the list for the Prelude design, but this may go the way of the Gorgon Project in terms of budget once they get it to the field. Last I heard there are still some issues with the field development side of things so even if they finish the vessel in time, it may be a while before production is able to go.
The way I understood it, the traditional land owners were all too happy to get the jobs and royalties associated, but were overruled by out-of-town activists. Is that true or false?
I've heard a number of different stories on the matter, none that I'd want to perpetuate too much.
It was more economical to build the world's largest vessel and develop a lot of new technology than to deal with the issues involved with an onshore facility - interpret that however you'd like.
Well, in my book, it's a devastating loss for economic development of people in dire poverty and the associated social issues that come with that. Regardless of how it came about.
The Prelude has had a lot of Australian engineering input but based on my experience working on the maintenance side with other FPSOs (especially those of Korean and Singaporan manufacture) there will be a lot of headaches with the Prelude.
Integrity control is at the top of the list for the Prelude design, but this may go the way of the Gorgon Project in terms of budget once they get it to the field. Last I heard there are still some issues with the field development side of things so even if they finish the vessel in time, it may be a while before production is able to go.