BHP Billiton Limited
(ASX:BHP) says the environmental assessment of its multi-billion-dollar Scarborough joint venture is progressing well.
Joint venture partner ExxonMobil initiated the federal environmental referral process five months ago, submitting plans to build a floating LNG processing plant 220km offshore with a production capacity of six to seven million tonnes a year.
The head of BHP's conventional gas business Steve Pastor says the environmental process for the remote project in north Western Australia was going to plan.
Mr Pastor told media that BHP will continue to focus heavily on offshore conventional gas exploration.
BHP and equal joint venture partner US oil giant Exxon expect to make a final investment decision on the Scarborough project in 2014.
BHP generated a net profit of $11.9 billion in fiscal 2013.
