Woodfibre LNG to alter environmental assessment certificate

Woodfibre LNG has submitted an application for an amendment to the Environmental Assessment Certificate that was granted in 2015, for the construction and operation of the Woodfibre LNG project.

The proposed design changes to the project are the result of the Squamish Nation selection of air cooling as the cooling technology for the project as well as ongoing front-end engineering design (FEED) work.

According to the company, changes to the design include the change of the plant cooling system from seawater to air cooling. In addition, the existing intake on Mill Creek will be upgraded rather than constructing a new one and the water from the Woodfibre Creek would be used in the short-term during construction.

The proposed changes would require an amendment to the EAC under British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Act, with the purpose to enable the project to proceed with these proposed changes.

The three proposed changes to the project will now be subject to a technical review (federal and provincial regulators in addition to municipal government representatives and First Nations), as well as a 30 day public consultation period.

Pacific Oil & Gas Limited, part of the Singapore-based RGE group of companies, the parent company of Woodfibre LNG reached the final investment decision for the 2.1 mtpa LNG project in November 2016.

The project is located approximately 7 km west-southwest of Squamish, British Columbia, on the previous Woodfibre Pulp Mill site.