Chevron’s unit in Australia has resumed full production at its 8.9 mtpa Wheatstone LNG terminal near Onslow after a fault reduced about 25 percent of the plant’s production.
“Chevron Australia confirms full production resumed last night (September 17) at the Wheatstone gas facility following a fault on September 14,” a Chevron spokesperson told LNG Prime on Monday.
“During this time LNG continued to be produced at approximately 80 percent of usual rates, and vessel loading continued. There has been no change to scheduled LNG deliveries,” the spokesperson said.
In addition, the spokesperson said that the Wheatstone domestic gas facilities were unaffected.
Industrial action
The news on September 14 of a fault linked to an instrumentation issue coincided with an announcement by the Offshore Alliance, which includes the Maritime Union of Australia and Australian Workers, of a complete stoppage of works at the Wheatstone and also the Gorgon facilities.
Workers at Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG plants have started protected industrial action on September 8 after talks between the energy giant and unions ended without an agreement.
Moreover, the Offshore Alliance, which includes the Maritime Union of Australia and Australian Workers’ Union, provided Chevron with a notice that work bans may apply for up to 24 hours a day from September 14.
The Offshore Alliance previously said in a social media post on that the “1411 turbine has tripped on the Wheatstone downstream facility and that all of this kicked in whilst the plant was being manned by Chevron’s “inexperienced” BCP workforce.
The Offshore Alliance said on Friday that “PIA has escalated today on the Chevron facilities and will continue to escalate over the coming days and weeks.”
Talks continuing
Chevron recently asked Australia’s Fair Work Commission to help resolve its ongoing dispute with unions representing its workers on both of the LNG projects.
The commission will hold its first hearing on September 22.
Chevron’s spokesperson said on Monday that there is no update regarding the action.
“Conciliation sessions are continuing today with the unions and Chevron,” the spokesperson said.