News: Australia's APLNG export project readies second production line

Oct 6 (Reuters) - The Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant is starting up its second production line, an APLNG spokesman said, with traders expecting a first shipment to be loaded later this month.

Owned by Origin Energy (ORG), operator ConocoPhillips and Sinopec <0386.HK>, APLNG would not confirm the scheduled date of its first shipment from the second production line.

"We are currently in the commissioning and start-up phase of the second train, and remain on track for this train to produce its first cargo of LNG in Q4 of this calendar year," a spokesman said.

Traders, however, say the first shipment from the new train is due in the second half of the month, potentially marking a doubling of the plant's nameplate capacity to 9 million tonnes per year.

APLNG exported its first cargo in January.