A joint venture company led by Shell has obtained the first permit to build a liquefied natural gas export facility in northern British Columbia, but the company has yet to make a final commitment to go ahead with the project.
LNG Canada is the first in the province to receive a facility permit from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission. The document outlines the requirements for design, construction and operation of the proposed facility in Kitimat, B.C.
Director of external affairs Susannah Pierce said it’s a crucial development for the project, following environmental approval from federal and provincial authorities last June.
“Really, what [the permit] looks at is: how are we designing the facility? How are we ensuring that it can operate safely in the community? How have we engaged with the community?” she said Tuesday.
Pierce said the company had reviewed and was comfortable with all 30 conditions imposed by the permit, including those on noise management and response plans.
The project could cost up to US$40 billion and would initially consist of two processing units called trains, each able to produce 6.5 million tonnes of LNG annually. The facility could be expanded to four trains in the future.