LNG Canada has received its first LNG import cargo at its Kitimat facility in British Columbia. The shipment, delivered by the LNG carrier Maran Gas Roxana, will be used to test and cool down the facility’s storage tanks and pipelines under cryogenic conditions before full-scale operations begin.
The vessel’s arrival on April 2 was made possible through a coordinated effort involving HaiSea Marine personnel, British Columbia Coast Pilots, Pacific Pilotage Authority Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, and the Canada Border Services Agency.
The cargo will help ensure the facility’s systems are fully operational in preparation for the project’s first LNG export, which is expected by mid-2025.
LNG Canada, a joint venture of Shell, PETRONAS, PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corporation, and KOGAS, is Canada’s first major LNG export terminal.
The project, which began construction in 2019, is considered the largest private-sector investment in Canadian history. It includes two LNG processing trains and two docks capable of handling large LNG carriers.
The facility will have the capacity to process up to 2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of natural gas, amounting to 14 million tonnes of LNG per year.
There are also plans for future expansion with the addition of two more processing trains. This import cargo, which arrived from Gladstone, Australia, is crucial for the safe start-up of operations.
LNG Canada has stated that only one such cargo is required for the commissioning phase, which is expected to last three to four weeks.
Once the offloading process is complete, pilots will conduct further testing to guide the vessel safely back to the Pacific.
The Maran Gas Roxana travelled along a 159-nautical-mile route from an entry point near Prince Rupert to Kitimat. As part of strict safety regulations, all LNG carriers making the journey will require escort tugs, which have now completed their commissioning process.
Once operational, LNG Canada will launch Canada’s LNG export industry, shipping natural gas to Asian markets.
References: Cbc, Offshore Energy
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