Petronas reportedly giving consideration for entire shift of Pacific NorthWest project to Ridley site

Petronas CEO Datuk Wan Zulkiflee
Wan Ariffin has sparked some speculation
that the Pacific NorthWest LNG project
may consider a shift to Ridley Island

Already in the process of exploring the concept of moving a shipment terminal for the Pacific NorthWest LNG project to offshore of Ridley Island, the Malaysian energy giant Petronas is now apparently giving thought to moving the entire project towards the east and onto Ridley Island.

The first indication of the new thinking on PNW LNG came out of Malaysia, with the newspaper The Star Online quoting Petronas CEO Datuk Wan Zulkiflee Wan Arffin, with the CEO observing for the paper that the old Shell site on Ridley Island "could be one of the options" for a location for the complex.

The Malaysian article also takes note of some of the controversy the project has received in British Columbia and how it, and how the progress of the LNG industry as a whole in the province has become one of the election themes to the current campaign.

Whether to consider making the shift over to Ridley will now become part of the current "total review" that Petronas has pledged to conduct. Once the Malaysian company and its partners have studied both the conditions from the Federal approval of the project and the financial aspects of developing it, they will then make a decision as to whether to move forward with the 36 Billion dollar project.

If they do give the green light the Pacific NorthWest development, that would make for the largest private investment in the province's history.

Part of what Petronas may also have to consider should they look to do some island hopping is, whether that will require the need for a new environmental review process; or if elements from the Lelu Island proposal could be transferred to any bid to build on Ridley.

So far there is no background on either the Petronas website or that of Pacific NorthWest LNG as to what they may have in mind when it comes to any potential shift in location.

Pacific NorthWest LNG's Lelu Island proposal may one day be
but a collection of sketches, should Petronas decide to make a shift to Ridley Island

A Malaysian newspaper The Star On line is reporting that Petronas is giving
some thought to a shift to the now abandoned Shell Canada/BG site on Ridley Island

The announcement that the Ridley location option may be in play as part of the Petronas review process, was also a story that quickly gathered some momentum on the various business publications that focus on energy issues.

The Star Online -- Petronas may consider Shell site for Canadian LNG project
Bloomberg -- Petronas May Consider Shell Site for Canadian LNG project
Financial Post -- Petronas may consider abandoned Royal Dutch Shell Site for Canadian LNG project


More notes on the history of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project can be found on our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review