Upon arriving at the Darwin LNG Terminal in the Northern Territory of Australia, visitors first notice a water tank adorned with images of turtles, crabs, fish, and Indigenous people. A local representative described the artwork as a "reflection of respect for the local Indigenous culture." The Barossa project faced opposition from Indigenous groups and environmental legal disputes during its development but ultimately became a successful case of resource development for domestic companies.
According to industry sources, the Darwin LNG Terminal is where natural gas from the Barossa gas field, developed by SK Innovation E&S over 14 years, is converted into LNG. The gas, produced approximately 300 kilometers offshore at the Barossa gas field, arrives at the terminal via a pipeline stretching hundreds of kilometers.
Inside the terminal, a massive cylindrical LNG storage tank captures attention. Measuring 90 meters in diameter and 50 meters in height, it features 220 stairs leading to the top. The tank has a storage capacity of 200,000 cubic meters, with an operational capacity of 180,000 cubic meters, making it the largest structure among the terminal's many facilities.
As one ventures deeper into the terminal, the noise level increases significantly. The loudest area is the cooling system, which cools the refrigerant heated during the liquefaction process, where natural gas is cooled to minus 162 degrees Celsius. Numerous pipes and steel structures are densely packed, with the equipment operating continuously.
Despite the plant's massive scale, only about 100 people work there. A local representative noted, "Most processes are automated, allowing us to operate a large LNG production facility with relatively few personnel," adding that drones are also used for facility inspections.
The plant includes various systems such as air receivers, amine storage tanks, carbon treaters, dehydration beds, solvent regeneration units, and mercury removers. It also features a wastewater sump for collecting and treating wastewater and a black start diesel generator that produces power to restart operations in case of an external power outage.
The core process focuses on purifying natural gas. Even after initial treatment at sea, impurities such as moisture, carbon dioxide, and mercury must be completely removed before the gas can be liquefied. Once the gas is cooled to about minus 162 degrees Celsius, it transforms from a gaseous state to liquid LNG, reducing its volume by approximately 600 times, making long-distance shipping feasible.
The final destination for the liquefied LNG is the storage tank, where it is temporarily held before being loaded onto LNG carriers via a jetty. The LNG then crosses the Pacific Ocean to reach demand centers in Korea and other parts of Asia.
The significance of the Barossa-DLNG supply chain from Darwin has grown, particularly in light of recent developments in the Middle East. Some LNG from the Middle East, including Qatar and the UAE, must pass through the Strait of Hormuz to reach Korea. In contrast, Barossa gas is produced offshore in northern Australia, liquefied in Darwin, and shipped directly across the Pacific to Korea, covering a relatively shorter distance. The shipping time from Australia to Incheon is about 10 to 12 days, compared to 18 to 25 days from the Middle East and 22 to 28 days from the United States.
Barossa LNG began arriving in Korea this year, with the first LNG cargo produced in January and the first shipment to SK Innovation E&S's terminal in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, arriving in February. This marks 14 years since the company first participated in the gas field's development in 2012.
The Darwin LNG plant ultimately serves as the final key to transforming this 14-year investment into actual energy. Natural gas, which began at the underwater gas field and traveled through the FPSO and a 380-kilometer pipeline, becomes LNG at this facility, before heading to Korea via the massive storage tanks and loading facilities.
A representative from the Darwin LNG plant stated, "We operate this massive LNG terminal with respect for Indigenous peoples, and it is significant that we run a large terminal in harmony with the surrounding environment on this vast land."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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