Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), a subsidiary of state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), has started production from its first overseas liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

Wheatstone LNG is located in the Ashburton North Strategic Industrial Area, which is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of Onslow, Western Australia.

It is fed by offshore natural gas fields and has two gas liquefaction units. The second unit is expected to start producing six to eight months after the first.

The facility is designed to be able to supply 8.9 million metric tonnes of LNG a year to customers in Asia.

The project co-owned by US-based Chevron, Australia’s Woodside Petroleum, KUFPEC and Japan’s Kyushu Electric Power.

Chevron has the biggest stake and is running the project.

KUFPEC has a 13.4 per cent stake in the project, making it the second-biggest stakeholder.

KUFPEC’s share of production is expected to reach 40,000 barrels per day next year, according to a statement from Essam Al-Marzouq, who holds the positions of Oil Minister, Electricity and Water Minister, and is also Chairman of KPC.

The first shipment from the facility is expected to take place in a couple of weeks, according to a statement from Chevron.

KUFPEC was established in 1981 and currently runs 54 oil exploration and production projects in 14 countries.