Shell-Led LNG Canada Expansion Gets Green Light, Doubling Output

The Shell-led LNG Canada project has been approved to double its production capacity. The $33 billion expansion will make LNG Canada the second-largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in the world, surpassing the current largest facility in Qatar. Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed the investment decision as a major boost for Canada's economy, touting it as a 'big deal' that will create 2,000 new jobs and generate over $50 billion in government revenues.

The expansion will involve building two additional processing units, known as trains, to increase the liquefaction capacity from 14 to 28 million tonnes of LNG per year. This will also require doubling the capacity of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which supplies natural gas to the facility. The project has faced opposition from local residents and Indigenous groups due to concerns over environmental impacts, including high levels of flaring emissions.

LNG Canada has acknowledged that its current flare design is faulty, leading to higher-than-expected emissions. The company plans to redesign the flare equipment by 2028 and in the meantime will request an amendment to its permits to account for continued higher levels of flaring emissions. Community members continue to express concerns over the potential health impacts of the increased emissions.