TEPCO Buys More into Wheatstone Project (Australia)

Chevron Corporation has signed additional binding agreements with Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) for liquefied natural gas (LNG) offtake and equity interests in the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project.

Under the agreements, TEPCO will purchase an additional 0.4 million tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG from the Wheatstone Project for up to 20 years. In addition TEPCO, through a related company, will acquire from Chevron a 10 percent participating interest in the Wheatstone field licenses and an eight percent interest in the Wheatstone natural gas processing facilities. These agreements, and the previously announced sales and purchase agreement, increases TEPCO’s total Wheatstone LNG offtake to 4.2 MTPA.

Joe Geagea, president, Chevron Gas and Midstream, welcomed TEPCO’s further investment in the Wheatstone Project.

“TEPCO is one of the world’s leading LNG customers and we are pleased to expand the strong partnership between our two companies.”

Roy Krzywosinski, managing director, Chevron Australia, said, “More than 80 percent of Chevron’s equity LNG from Wheatstone is covered under long-term off-take agreements with customers in Asia.

“These agreements continue to demonstrate Wheatstone is well-placed geographically to meet the Asia Pacific region’s demand for a safe, reliable and cleaner-burning source of energy.”

The Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project will become one of Australia’s largest resource projects. Located at Ashburton North, 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) west of Onslow in Western Australia, the foundation phase of the project will consist of two liquefied natural gas trains with a combined capacity of 8.9 MTPA and a domestic gas plant.

Chevron is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies and through its Australian subsidiaries, has been present in Australia for 60 years. With the ingenuity and commitment of more than 3,000 people, Chevron Australia leads the development of the Gorgon and Wheatstone natural gas projects; manages its equal one-sixth interest in the North West Shelf Venture; and operates Australia’s largest onshore oilfield on Barrow Island and the Thevenard Island oilfields. The company is also a participant in the Browse liquefied natural gas development and is a significant investor in exploration offshore northwest Australia.

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Source: Chevron, June 18, 2012