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Chevron resumes full gas output amid strike at WA plant

A strike at two Chevron gas plants in WA could disrupt global supplies and unsettle prices.

A strike at two Chevron gas plants in WA could disrupt global supplies and unsettle prices. Photo: AAP

Chevron has resumed full gas production after a fault cut output by a fifth at its massive Wheatstone LNG plant.

A turbine tripped at the plant on WA’s Pilbara coast on Thursday amid strike action over a pay dispute at the offshore platform.

Chevron Australia confirmed on Monday that full production resumed at Wheatstone, 12km west of Onslow on the Pilbara coast, the night prior.

“During this time LNG continued to be produced at approximately 80 per cent of usual rates, and vessel loading continued,” the company said in a statement on Monday.

“There has been no change to scheduled LNG deliveries.”

About 500 unionised employees of Chevron’s Wheatstone and Gorgon LNG plants, which together supply 44 per cent of WA’s domestic gas, stopped work for the second day in a row on Sunday and warned of further disruption to come.

Domestic gas production has been unaffected by the outage or strike action.

The Offshore Alliance union commenced two weeks of protected industrial action on Friday over an enterprise agreement offer it claims falls below industry standards.

The union claims less experienced workers filling in for striking union members will lead to a reduction in output that will cost Chevron more in the long run.

“It is pretty clear that Chevron’s so-called contingency workforce aren’t up to it and the cost of Chevron not sorting out our EBAs has already exceeded the cost of Chevron agreeing to members’ bargaining claims. By a long shot,” Offshore Alliance posted on Facebook at the weekend.

AAP understands the turbine trip, which is not uncommon in LNG plants, was caused by an instrumentation issue unrelated to the industrial action.

– AAP

Topics: Gas
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