Exxon opens LNG facility on Papua New Guinea

IRVING, Texas, April 29 (UPI) -- A Papua New Guinea facility that could produce as much as 9 trillion cubic feet of gas over the next 30 years began service ahead of schedule, Exxon Mobil said.

Exxon announced its $19 billion liquefied natural gas facility in Papua New Guinea is now in service.

"The project is optimally located to serve growing Asia markets where LNG demand is expected to rise by approximately 165 percent between 2010 and 2025, to 370 million tons per year," Neil Duffin, president of Exxon's development company, said in a statement Monday.

Exxon said the facility started processing natural gas and is expected to ramp up its production volume over the coming weeks. The first shipment of LNG is expected to be delivered by the middle of this year.

More than 400 miles of natural gas pipeline from production and processing facilities in Papua New Guinea are associated with the LNG terminal.

Exxon Mobil Corp. Chairman Rex Tillerson said last month the LNG project in Papua New Guinea was among the projects that "exemplify our focus on maintaining a diversified portfolio."

The facility is online about six months ahead of schedule.