Woodfibre LNG Ramps Up for Expanded Workforce

Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

A second, offshore housing vessel was approved by Canadian authorities to support construction of the Woodfibre LNG facility near Vancouver. The MV Saga X is expected in Canadian waters by the end of the month.

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Floatel Approved for Construction Support

Canadian authorities gave their regulatory approval for an offshore workforce vessel that would support the construction of the Woodfibre LNG export facility in British Columbia, the developer said.

The Woodfibre LNG facility near Vancouver will have a nameplate capacity of 2.1 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) through two production trains.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Project and Plant databases can learn more about Woodfibre--including capacities, investment values and necessary equipment--from a plant profile and a detailed list of project reports.

On Monday, the project developer said it secured approval from federal, provincial and aboriginal authorities to build a so-called "floatel" (from "floating hotel") to house construction workers slated to work on the offshore project.

With the Canadian economy teetering on recession, the developer said the second such floatel for Woodfibre LNG would create as many as 900 immediate jobs, while the accommodations would support 642 rooms for tradespeople.

"By doubling onsite housing capacity, we can support more Canadian jobs today, sustain our construction momentum and move closer to delivering lower-emission Canadian LNG to global markets," said Luke Schauerte, the chief executive officer for Woodfibre.

The first floatel, dubbed MV Isabelle X, started operations in support of project development in June 2024. The second support vessel, MV Saga X, is expected on-site before the end of November.

By the numbers

• 18.3 billion cubic feet per day in Canadian gas production
• 2027 is when Woodfibre should be up and running
• 900 immediate jobs created

Woodfibre Expands Canadian Trade Options

Woodfibre would support Canadian efforts to find more trading partners amid a simmering row with the U.S. government. U.S. tariffs have upended bilateral ties. The Bank of Canada said the auto, steel, aluminum and lumber sectors have been "severely hit" by U.S. tariffs. Overall, business sentiment and hiring across all economic sectors was weak, the bank said last month.

The U.S. depends heavily on Canada for crude oil and soft lumber and remains a net importer of natural gas. Sparing energy from tariffs, U.S. President Donald Trump nonetheless suspended bilateral trade talks after a controversial ad on tariffs ran in Ontario during the World Series tournament for Major League Baseball.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, for his part, is pressing for expanded trade opportunities, pledging to halve the amount of U.S. trade by the end of the decade.

Carney during a recent tour of Asia was able to bolster trade opportunities, announcing the signing of a letter of intent with Malaysia to expand investments in LNG, oil, nuclear and renewable energy.

Canada is already in the game. LNG Canada in September heralded the department of the tenth vessel laden with LNG, establishing itself as the only facility of its kind on the western shores of North America that deliver the super-cooled gas. The Trump administration, for its part, is pressing for an LNG terminal in Alaska, though it would need a new 800-mile natural gas pipeline to be completed.

Subscribers can learn more from a plant profile for LNG Canada and a detailed project report.

Led by Alberta, federal Canadian data show total natural gas production hit a record high last year at 18.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bdf/d). Construction for Woodfibre is slated to begin during the fourth quarter, with a completion date set for late 2027.

Key takeaways

• Woodfibre LNG would support existing export options from British Columbia
• Canada is beating the United States in the race for West Coast exports
• This is the second such support facility designated for the project

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