Premier Mark McGowan today officially opened Woodside's new Pluto LNG Truck Loading Facility in Karratha.
The new facility will draw LNG directly from Woodside's existing Pluto LNG production and storage facilities for distribution by truck to the Pilbara, Kimberley and Gascoyne regions.
The initial capacity of the facility is 0.1 million tonnes per annum, based on seven truck loadings per day during daylight hours.
Woodside has secured an agreement with Sheffield Resources to supply LNG to its Kimberley Thunderbird project, which will employ about 280 workers.
During construction of the facility, more than 60 workers, many of them local, were employed on the project and $4 million worth of fabrication contracts were awarded to local businesses.
Western Australia is a world leader in the delivery of natural gas, and the McGowan Government is continuing to position WA as a global energy hub.
The McGowan Government's LNG Jobs Taskforce aims to work collaboratively with the industry to establish Western Australia as a LNG Hub servicing Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region, to create new long-term job opportunities.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"I congratulate Woodside on the opening of their new LNG truck loading facility and the new opportunities this creates in our State's north.
"Western Australia is now a world leader in the delivery of natural gas, and our State is ready to take the next step and create new investment opportunities to bolster our position as a global energy hub and create new jobs for local workers.
"Natural gas is increasingly playing a major role in the world's energy mix, as more countries commit to reducing greenhouse gases and seek alternatives to coal, diesel and other higher emissions fuels.
"Through the LNG Jobs Taskforce, we can make Western Australia a major hub servicing the LNG industry in the Southern Hemisphere and beyond.
"By capitalising on the State's unique strength as one of the world's largest producers of LNG, we can produce lasting benefits for both industry and the people of Western Australia."
