In its recently released July 2017 LNG report, Energy Quest reported Australian LNG shipments jumped to a record 5.4 million tonnes (81 cargoes), up from 4.9 million tonnes in June 2017.
Two Western Australian projects led the charge for the increase with Gorgon increasing its shipments to 1.4 million tonnes, while North West Shelf (NWS) shipped to 1.5 million tonnes. Projects in Queensland also remained steady.
On average west coast projects operated at 108 per cent of nameplate capacity on an annualised basis but Queensland projects only operated at 81 per cent. The volume of LNG deliveries from Australia was higher in July than June increasing by 0.3 million tones.
On the east coast, short term domestic gas prices continued to ease, with falls of around $1 per gigajoule (GJ). Brisbane prices continue to be lower than those further south, averaging $6.79/GJ compared to $9.76/GJ in Sydney, $8.92/GJ in Adelaide and $8.97/GJ in Victoria. This is reflected by transport costs.
Queensland gas imports from other states have also slowed down. Net easterly flows along the South-West Queensland Pipeline peaked at 335 terajoules per day (TJ/d) in early January 2017 but gas has flowed westward since June at an increased rate averaging 85 TJ/d in July.
