GDF Suez Gets Nod for Bonaparte FLNG Plant

GDF Suez has received approval from Australian authorities for its Bonaparte floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) project off the coast of northern Australia, Reuters has reported.

The news reports said that the French firm and its partner Santos plan to make a final investment decision on the 2 million tonne per annum (mpta) development in 2014.

There are no floating LNG facilities in operation globally, but Royal Dutch Shell's Prelude project, also off the Australian coast, is expected to be the first to come online in 2017.

The approval of the Bonaparte floating LNG plant comes as Australia is in the midst of an LNG boom, with over $170 billion worth of LNG developments that will add 80 mtpa of production before the end of the decade and make Australia the world's top exporter of the fuel.