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BHP Billiton Plc
BHP Billiton, together with the other participants in the North West Shelf
Venture, today signed Sales and Purchase Agreements with Kyushu Electric
Power Co. Inc. for the purchase and supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG)
from the North West Shelf (NWS) in Western Australia.
The agreement was covers the supply of 0.5 million tonnes of LNG per annum
(mtpa) for a long-term period starting in 2006. Kyushu is an existing long-
term customer of NWS LNG and Japan's fourth largest power utility.
The agreement with Kyushu Electric follows the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed
in March 2001, and is the third 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 Kyushu Electric is the latest in several recent
agreements with other Japanese customers, these being:
* A Letter of Intent with Tohoku Electric Co. Ltd. on 5 February 2001 for
0.4 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG, starting 2005;
* 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;
* 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, and
* A Sales and Purchase Agreement with Osaka Gas Co. Ltd on 11 March 2002
for the supply of 1 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 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).
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Further news and information can be found on our Internet site:
www.bhpbilliton.com
Australia United Kingdom/South Africa
Dr. Robert Porter, Investor Michael Campbell, Investor & Media
Relations Relations
Tel: + 61 3 9609 3540 Tel: +27 11 376 3360
Mobile: +61 419 587 456 Mobile: +27 82 458 2587
email: Robert.Porter@bhpbilliton.com email:
Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbilliton.com
Mandy Frostick, Media Relations Ariane Gentil, Manager Communications
Tel: +61 3 9609 4157 Tel: +44 20 7747 3977
Mobile: +61 419 546 245 Mobile: + 44 7881 518 715
email: email: Ariane.Gentil@bhpbilliton.com
Mandy.J.Frostick@bhpbilliton.com
United States
Francis McAllister, Investor
Relations
Tel: +1 713 961 8625
Mobile: +1 713 480 3699
email:
Francis.R.McAllister@bhpbilliton.com
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