Shell and its partners have taken the final investment decision on Phase 2 of LNG Canada, doubling the project’s export capacity from 14 to 28 million tonnes per annum with two new liquefaction trains at Kitimat, British Columbia.

Shell holds 40% of the venture, alongside Petronas (25%), PetroChina (15%), Mitsubishi (15%) and Kogas (5%). Shell will take about 6 mtpa from the expansion, with commercial operations targeted for the early 2030s. The project adds a storage tank, a condensate tank and a new loading berth.

Gas will flow through the 670-km Coastal GasLink pipeline, which gains five new compressor stations. Shell’s LNG Outlook projects global demand rising 60% by 2040 and 65% by 2050, driven by Asia — the rationale for the expansion.

The project includes a $1 billion equity option for First Nations through MNT Investments LP, representing the Gitga’at, Gitxaała, Haisla, Kitselas and Kitsumkalum nations. Construction will employ up to 6,100 workers at peak, making it one of Canada’s largest active industrial projects.