A historic US$19 billion gas deal between China and Australia has kicked off with the loading of the first China-bound cargo of liquified natural gas (LNG) from the giant North West Shelf (NWS) field.

Woodside Petroleum, operator of the gas project, said 125,000 cubic meters of LNG were being loaded onto a ship near Karratha in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The vessel, Northwest Seaeagle, is scheduled to deliver the maiden shipment to China's first LNG receiving terminal on Shenzhen's eastern coast late May, it said.

Woodside's North West Shelf Venture director Jack Hamilton said the loading of the ship marks the official start of a major trade relationship between Australia's largest resources project and its newest customer, Guangdong Dapeng LNG Co Ltd. The sales and purchase agreement, signed in October 2002 and worth US$25 billion over 25 years, remains Australia's largest single trade deal. Under the contract, the North West Shelf Venture will supply more than 3.3 million tons of LNG a year for 25 years.

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