Shell’s LNG Canada nears launch of second train

“Train 2 start-up activities are underway,” an LNG Canada spokesperson told LNG Prime on Friday.

Last month, LNG Canada shipped the tenth cargo of LNG since it started production at the first liquefaction train on June 22.

The spokesperson said that a 14th cargo departed the LNG Canada facility on September 30.

“A 15th cargo is expected to depart in the coming days,” the spokespeson said.

Shell CEO Wael Sawan said in July that LNG Canada’s production ramp-up is “very much” in line with what Shell had expected.

Sawan answered a question during the second-quarter earnings call following a media report that LNG Canada is experiencing technical problems.

“I’ve read the article, I still scratch my head as to some elements of it,” Sawan said.

LNG Canada is a joint venture between Shell, Petronas, PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Kogas.

MidOcean Energy, the LNG unit of US-based energy investor EIG, recently also entered into definitive agreements to buy a 20 percent interest in Petronas’ entities in Canada, including a stake in LNG Canada.

LNG Canada is Canada’s first large LNG export facility.

With a planned Phase 2, which includes two new trains, the capacity will rise to 28 mtpa.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently named the planned second phase of the export project as one of the major projects the federal government would help fast-track.

LNG Canada has also recently sought approval from the Canadian energy regulator to increase its annual export capacity by 6.4 percent.