The Fluor Corporation has announced the completion of the final weld on the first production train at the LNG Canada site. This milestone marks a significant phase in the construction project as the facility transitions towards a lengthy start-up procedure.

The final weld, which required 48 hours of continuous work, was achieved by teams of welders working in shifts. Since the project's inception in 2018, over 380 pipe welders have contributed to the construction efforts.

鈥淭he significance of achieving the last weld to support Train One completion is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the JGC-Fluor project team, subcontractors and a skilled and dedicated workforce,鈥� said Jim Breuer, president of Fluor鈥檚 Energy Solutions business. 鈥淲e are now one step closer to the introduction of gas and start-up.鈥�

The JGC-Fluor joint venture, composed of Fluor and JGC Corporation, is responsible for multiple aspects of the LNG Canada megaproject, including engineering, procurement, fabrication and delivery of modules, along with the construction of the project's infrastructure, utilities, marine structures, and LNG storage tank.

Once complete, th LNG facmilty is expected to have an initial capacity of 12.7 metric tonnes (14 million tons) of gas per year, with the first shipment anticipated by mid-2025.

Recently, LNG Canada provided an update on the site's construction to Kitimat council, although a definitive start-up date remained uncertain. Representatives noted that flaring operations are scheduled to commence this summer, possibly in August or early autumn.

The commissioning process is projected to take 12 months before the facility transitions to normal operations. Currently, preparations are underway to finalize utility systems and ready the plant for gas intake. The gas is presently held up at the Kitimat metering station within the Coastal GasLink pipeline.