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BHP Billiton today announced it had signed a Sales and Purchase Agreement
with Osaka Gas Company Ltd of Japan for the purchase and supply of liquefied
natural gas (LNG) from the North West Shelf (NWS) in Western Australia.
The agreement was signed by the six NWS LNG Sellers and covers the supply of
one million tonnes of LNG per annum (mtpa) for a period of 30 years starting
in 2004.
Osaka Gas is an existing long-term customer of NWS LNG and is based in the
Kansai region of Western Japan.
The agreement with Osaka Gas follows the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed in
January 2001, and is the second in a series of Sales and Purchase Agreements
to be signed for supply of LNG from the North West Shelf Venture's LNG
expansion project.
The project includes a fourth LNG processing train at the Venture's gas
processing facilities on the Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia, and a
second trunkline from the North Rankin platform to shore. First LNG from the
fourth train is scheduled for mid-2004.
The agreement with Osaka Gas is the latest in several recent agreements with
other Japanese customers:
* A Letter of Intent with Tohoku Electric Co. Ltd. on 5 February 2001 for
0.4 mtpa of LNG, starting 2005;
* A Letter of Intent with Kyushu Electric Power Co. Inc. on 28 March 2001
for the supply of 0.5 million mtpa of LNG, starting April 2006;
* A Key Terms Agreement with Shell Gas and Power on 15 May 2001 for the
supply of up to 3.7 million tonnes of LNG over five years;
* A Key Terms Agreement with Chubu Electric Power Company Inc. of Japan on
3 August 2001 for 0.6 mtpa of LNG, starting 2009; and
* A Sales and Purchase Agreement with Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd and Toho Gas Co.
Ltd of Japan on 25 October 2001 for the purchase and supply of 1.37 mtpa
of LNG starting in 2004.
Last year BHP Billiton announced approval for a fourth train expansion of
the LNG facilities at the North West Shelf Project on the Burrup Peninsula
in Western Australia.
BHP Billiton's equity in the North West Shelf Project is 16.67 per cent. The
other participants are Woodside Energy Ltd (operator - 16.67 per cent); BP
Developments Australia Pty Ltd (16.67 per cent); Chevron Australia Pty Ltd
(16.67 per cent); Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty Ltd (16.67 per cent); and
Shell Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited (16.67 per cent).
****
Further information can be found on our Internet site:
http://www.bhpbilliton.com
United Kingdom/South Africa
Australia Michael Campbell, Investor &
Dr Robert Porter, Investor Media Relations
Relations Tel: +27 11 376 3360
Tel: + 61 3 9609 3540 Mobile: +27 82 458 2587
Mobile: +61 419 587 456 email:
email: Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbilliton
Robert.Porter@bhpbilliton.com .com
Mandy Frostick, Media Ariane Gentil, Manager
Relations Communications
Tel: +61 3 9609 4157 Tel: +44 20 7747 3977
Mobile: +61 419 546 245 Mobile: + 44 7881 518 715
email: email:
Mandy.J.Frostick@bhpbilliton. Ariane.Gentil@bhpbilliton.com
com
United States
Francis McAllister, Investor
Relations
Tel: +1 713 961 8625
Mobile: +1 713 480 3699
email:
Francis.R.McAllister@bhpbilli
ton.com
Date: 12/03/2002 07:45:00 AM Produced by the JSE SENS Department
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