Shell Australia has received NOPSEMA’s approval for an environmental plan concerning the development of its Crux offshore project.
The approval means Shell can now install critical subsea and topside infrastructure at the Crux project, which will form the primary source of backfill gas supply to the Prelude floating LNG facility. The assets will be linked via a 160km export pipeline.
NOPSEMA has previously approved the Crux offshore project proposal in 2020. However, during the execution phase of the project, Shell will develop a number of separate environment plans which incorporate the various stages of the project.
The recently approved plan covers the installation of the Crux pipeline, substructure and topside, including all tie-ins, cold commissioning, contingent and supporting activities. The activity is scheduled to undertaken from approximately late–2024 to the second half of 2027, pending approvals.
The major works and timeframes include:
– Install and cold commission the export pipeline (approximately five months)
– Install and cold commission the Prelude–end flexible riser and umbilical (approximately six weeks)
– Install the Crux substructure (approximately three months)
– Install topsides (approximately six months)
– Crux topsides tie-ins and cold commissioning activities (approximately two years)
– Prelude modifications for Crux tie-in (approximately two years)
– Staged preservation period (once the infrastructure is installed and left in a preserved state for the life of this plan) (approximately two years).
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