据8月8日彭博社报道称，液化天然气日本公司（LNG Japan Corp.）同意了一项价值高达8.8亿美元的交易，收购澳大利亚附近一个大型天然气项目的股份，这是确保化石燃料供应的新举措，该国预计该燃料将在其能源结构中发挥关键作用。

这家由住友商事株式会社（Sumitomo Corp.）和Sojitz Corp.共同拥有的合资企业将从伍德赛德能源集团（Woodside Energy Group）手中收购斯卡伯勒（Scarborough）10%的股份。这家总部位于珀斯的生产商周二表示，该公司还达成了一项协议，从2026年起，该项目每年供应12批液化天然气，约90万吨。

斯卡伯勒将在海上开采天然气，并在西澳大利亚Burrup半岛的一个扩建工厂进行处理。预计该工厂每年将生产多达800万吨液化天然气，已成为反对开发新化石燃料项目的气候活动家的攻击目标。

伍德赛德首席执行官Meg O'Neill在一份声明中表示，“日本液化天然气公司的支持证明了斯卡伯勒项目的质量，这也突显了日本买家对新天然气供应的持续需求，以及天然气在支持日本能源安全方面的作用” 。

日本是澳大利亚液化天然气的最大买家，在去年的能源危机促使政府敦促企业锁定供应并投资项目后，日本一直在与主要船运公司达成新的协议。今年年初，日本和德国在七国集团峰会上呼吁支持对天然气项目的新投资。

澳大利亚研究所智库在6月份的一份报告中表示，斯卡伯勒的直接二氧化碳排放量估计约为每年440万吨，如果将消费者燃烧天然气或第三类排放计算在内，这一数字将增至5600万吨。

伍德赛德正在寻求减少其对斯卡伯勒项目的所有权，同时保留该开发项目的运营商地位。该公司周二在澳大利亚股市上涨0.6%，至去年11月以来的最高水平。O'Neill在5月份表示，该公司将对亚洲消费者的投资持开放态度。

根据伍德赛德的声明，根据该协议，日本液化天然气公司将支付5亿美元的购买价格和其他金额，包括项目支出的报销，预计总额将达到约8.8亿美元。

另外，根据该协议，住友、Sojitz和伍德赛德将在氨、氢气、碳捕获和储存以及碳管理技术等领域开展潜在合作。

王佳晶 译自 彭博社

原文如下：

LNG Japan Agrees $880 Million Deal to Join Giant Gas Project

LNG Japan Corp. agreed a deal worth as much as $880 million for a stake in a giant natural gas project off Australia, a new step to secure supply of a fossil fuel the nation expects to retain a key role in its energy mix.

The joint venture, owned by Sumitomo Corp. and Sojitz Corp., will acquire a 10% interest in the Scarborough operation from Woodside Energy Group. It also struck a pact for the supply from the project of 12 cargoes — or about 900,000 tons — of liquefied natural gas a year for a decade from 2026, the Perth-based producer said Tuesday.

Scarborough, which will drill gas offshore and process it at an expanded plant on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia, is forecast to produce as much as 8 million tons of LNG a year and has become a lightning rod for climate activists opposed to the development of new fossil fuels projects.

“The support of LNG Japan is testament to the quality of the Scarborough project,” Woodside’s Chief Executive Officer Meg O’Neill said in a statement. “It also underscores the ongoing demand from Japanese buyers for new supplies of gas and the role of gas in supporting Japan’s energy security.”

Japan, the largest buyer of Australian LNG, has been striking new pacts with major shippers after last year’s energy crisis prompted the government to press companies to lock in supply and invest in projects. Japan and Germany used a Group of Seven summit earlier this year to call for support for new investment in gas projects.

Scarborough’s direct carbon dioxide emissions are estimated to be about 4.4 million tons a year, and that figure swells to 56 million tons if the burning of the gas by consumers, or scope 3 emissions, are included, the Australia Institute think tank said in a June report.

Woodside is seeking to reduce its ownership of the Scarborough project, while remaining the development’s operator. The producer, which rose 0.6% in Australia trading Tuesday to the highest since November, would be open to investment from Asian consumers, O’Neill said in May. 

Under the deal, LNG Japan will pay a $500 million purchase price and other amounts including reimbursements for project spending that are expected to bring the total to about $880 million, according to Woodside’s statement.

Separately, Sumitomo, Sojitz and Woodside will work on potential collaborations in areas that could include ammonia, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, and carbon management technology under the deal.