CBM-to-LNG makes its mark in Australia

Australia's coalbed methane-to-liquefied natural gas (CBM-to-LNG) projects have generally drawn a bad rap from the wider industry. But they are proving more successful than the nation’s conventional LNG schemes, energy research consultancy Wood Mackenzie said

CBM-to-LNG has mainly received a lot of flak because the concept has not truly been tested before, Adele Long, a Perth-based upstream specialist at Wood Mackenzie told Petroleum Economist. There is, comparatively, a higher level of confidence in Australia’s conventional projects, Gorgon, Wheatstone and Ichthys. But so far, the delivery of conventional Australian LNG has been disappointing. All are between at least seven and 18 months behind their original schedule with further delays a real possibility, Wood Mackenzie said in its latest report. By contrast, CBM-to-LNG start-ups remain largely on or close to original guidance. And it may be that the unconventional export schemes’ construction