June 22, May [Argus Media] – Australian refiner and marketer Viva Energy is exploring building a LNG import terminal next to its 128,000 b/d Geelong refinery in Victoria, as part of a plan to develop the area into a energy hub.

 
The import terminal could bring natural gas from other parts of Australia and abroad to Victoria, Viva said. Victoria is the largest gas-consuming state in east Australia, excluding the feedstock used for the three LNG export plants at Gladstone in Queensland.

It plans to create Geelong as a energy hub, including petroleum refining, gas imports, gas-fired power generation and renewables. There is potential for a 27MW solar photovoltaic and battery storage plant at Geelong, Viva said.

The LNG import project is at a pre-front end engineering and design stage. Viva will shortly assess interest from potential partners for gas supplies, gas demand, power generation and LNG floating storage management. The firm will also look at associated projects, such as gas-to-power ventures, LNG for transport such as shipping and heavy vehicles and gas-to-hydrogen.

Viva gave no details about the potential size or cost of the proposed LNG import terminal at Geelong.

The other two LNG import plants proposed for Victoria have both faced delays. Australian utility AGL Energy’s proposed a terminal at Crib Point with first imports in the 2020-21 fiscal year to 30 June, although this date has since been pushed back.

ExxonMobil deferred a plan to build an LNG import terminal in Victoria because of insufficient interest from prospective gas buyers in committing to long-term supply contracts to underpin the project.

There are also LNG import terminals proposed for New South Wales at Port Kembla and Newcastle. Their outcome may depend on a decision of the development of the onshore Narrabri gas project.

————-