BG Group, a world leader in exploration and LNG, today announced that it has been loading the first cargo of LNG from its Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) facility since 28 December. The vessel being loaded is the Methane Rita Andrea. The second cargo of LNG from the facility will be loaded onto the Methane Mickie Harper which is expected in Gladstone in the first week of January.

QCLNG is the world's first LNG project to be supplied by coal seam gas. The start of production from the plant's first LNG train is the result of more than four years of development and construction on Curtis Island.

Andrew Gould, interim Executive Chairman commented:

“This is an immense achievement which demonstrates the company's ability to deliver a highly complex LNG project. The start-up of QCLNG is testament to the hard work, skill and dedication of all our employees, partners and customers including the thousands of individuals who have been involved in physically building the plant. The ongoing support from both the State Government of Queensland and the local councils of our upstream region and in Gladstone has also been pivotal in this development. We thank them all.”
The project will expand further with the start-up of the second train in the third quarter of 2015. At plateau production, expected during 2016, QCLNG will have an output of around 8 million tonnes of LNG a year.

About QCLNG project

- The QCLNG project connects more than 2000 onshore wells, spread across a wide expanse of 4500 square kilometres. These flow into a 540 kilometre pipeline to the liquefaction facility on Curtis Island, near Gladstone, Queensland, on the east coast of Australia.
- After the gas reaches the plant on Curtis Island it is chilled to -162 degrees Celsius, changing its state to a liquid form which makes it 600 times smaller enabling it to be stored and transported in LNG vessels to markets around the world.
- Bechtel, the engineering and construction group, is the lead contractor on the design and construction of the LNG plant.
- BG Group's natural gas also supplies power stations, industrial users and gas retailers in Australia under long term contracts.
- Water produced from gas wells will be processed at two treatment plants providing supplies for use by local landholders, industry and communities.

About BG Group Australia

BG Group's Australian business, QGC Pty Limited, is the operator of the QCLNG project. BG Group holds around 74% equity interest in the upstream resource and related infrastructure; and 100% of the project's common facilities on Curtis Island (including LNG storage tanks and jetty). The Group recently agreed to sell its 100% equity interest in the 540 kilometre pipeline to APA Group for US$5 billion.

About BG Group

BG Group plc (LSE: BG.L) is a world leader in natural gas, with a broad portfolio of business interests focused on exploration and production and liquefied natural gas. Active in more than 20 countries on five continents, BG Group combines a deep understanding of gas markets with a proven track record in finding and commercialising reserves.

About BECHTEL

Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management, and construction companies in the world. We stand apart for our ability to get the job done right—no matter how big, how complex, or how remote. Bechtel operates through five global business units that specialize in civil infrastructure; power generation, communications, and transmission; mining and metals; oil, gas, and chemicals; and government services. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents. Today, our 53,000 colleagues team with customers, partners, and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 40 countries.

See the site of the Queensland Curtis LNG plant