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BIL - BHP Billiton Plc - BHP Billiton exploration and development report for the
quarter ended 31 December 2010
BHP Billiton Plc
Share code: BIL
ISIN: GB0000566504
News Release
20 January 2011
03/11
BHP BILLITON EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 31
DECEMBER 2010
This report covers the Group`s exploration and development activities for the
quarter ended 31 December 2010. Unless otherwise stated, BHP Billiton`s interest
in the projects referred to in this report is 100 per cent and references to
project schedules are based on calendar years.
Development
During the December 2010 quarter, a further US$570 million (BHP Billiton share)
of capital expenditure was approved to underpin continued growth in Western
Australia Iron Ore`s production profile. The investment expands on BHP
Billiton`s earlier pre-commitment of US$1.73 billion (BHP Billiton share)
announced in January 2010 and will facilitate the ongoing development of port,
rail and Jimblebar mine infrastructure.
Industry wide cost pressure is being experienced across a broad range of
projects and reflects stronger producer currencies, particularly in Australia,
and underlying inflation on raw material and labour costs.
Project And Share Of Initial Production Quarterly
Ownership Approved Production Capacity (100%) Progress
Capex Target
US$M Date
Petroleum
Projects
Macedon 1,050 CY13 200 million On schedule and budget.
(Australia) cubic feet gas Drilling campaign
71.43% per day completed. The overall
Gas project is 14%
complete.
Angostura Gas 180 H1 CY11 280 million On schedule and budget.
Phase II cubic feet gas Topsides installation
(Trinidad and per day completed. Hook-up and
Tobago) commissioning
45% progressing. The
Gas overall project is 98%
complete.
Bass Strait 900 CY12(a) 10,000 bpd Schedule and budget
Kipper condensate and review completed.
(Australia) processing Additional funding
32.5% - 50% capacity of 80 approved. First phase
Gas/Gas Liquids million cubic of drilling completed.
feet gas per Mercury encountered in
day reservoir with solution
being managed
separately. The overall
project is 62%
complete.
Bass Strait 1,350 CY13 11,000 bpd Schedule and budget
Turrum condensate and review completed.
(Australia) processing Additional funding
50% capacity of 200 approved. The overall
Gas/Gas Liquids million cubic project is 54%
feet gas per complete.
day
North West Shelf 245 CY11 Replacement On schedule and budget.
CWLH Life vessel with Floating Production
Extension capacity of Storage and Offtake
(Australia) 60,000 bpd oil (FPSO) conversion
16.67% continues. The overall
Oil project is 85%
complete.
North West Shelf 850 CY12 2,500 million On schedule and budget.
North Rankin B cubic feet gas The overall project is
Gas Compression per day 62% complete.
(Australia)
16.67%
LNG
Minerals Projects
Worsley 1,900 H1 CY11 1.1 million tpa On schedule. Budget is
Efficiency & of additional under review.
Growth alumina Construction is 46%
(Australia) complete. The overall
86% project is 59%
Alumina complete.
Antamina 435 Q4 CY11 Increases ore On schedule and budget.
Expansion (Peru) processing Engineering is 91%
33.75% capacity to complete. Construction
Copper 130,000 tpd is 32% complete. The
overall project is 40%
complete.
Iron Ore (Western 4,800 H2 CY11 50 million tpa Engineering is 99%
Australia) additional iron complete. Construction
RGP5 ore system is 89% complete. The
85% capacity overall project is 90%
Iron Ore complete, based on
original scope. The
scope of the iron ore
development sequence
continues to be
reviewed.
MAC20 Project 260 H1 CY11 Increases First production
(Australia) saleable achieved ahead of
100% thermal coal schedule in October
Energy Coal production by 2010. Ramp up underway.
approximately The overall project is
3.5 million tpa 97% complete.
(a) Facilities ready for first production pending resolution of mercury content.
Minerals Exploration
Grassroots exploration continued on copper targets in Chile and Zambia; nickel
and copper targets in Australia; manganese targets in Gabon; and diamond targets
in Canada. Exploration for iron ore, coal, bauxite, potash and manganese was
undertaken in a number of regions including Australia, Canada, South America and
Africa.
For the half year ended 31 December 2010, BHP Billiton spent US$279 million on
minerals exploration, of which US$228 million was expensed.
Petroleum Exploration
Exploration and appraisal wells drilled during the quarter or in the process of
drilling as at 31 December 2010.
Well Location BHP Billiton Equity Status
Deep Blue-1 Green Canyon Gulf of 31.875% Temporarily suspended
Mexico (Noble operator) Hydrocarbons
GC 723 encountered
SE Longtom-1 Gippsland Basin 50% Plugged & abandoned
Australia (Exxon operator) Hydrocarbons
VIC/RL09 encountered
Yellowfin-1 Gippsland Basin 50% Plugged & abandoned
Australia (Exxon operator) Dry hole
VIC/RL6
Petroleum exploration expenditure for the half year ended 31 December 2010 was
US$173 million, of which US$135 million was expensed.
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site:
www.bhpbilliton.com.
Australia
Brendan Harris, Investor Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 4323 Mobile: +61 437 134 814
email: Brendan.Harris@bhpbilliton.com
Leng Lau, Investor Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 4202 Mobile: +61 403 533 706
email: Leng.Y.Lau@bhpbilliton.com
Amanda Buckley, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2209 Mobile: +61 419 801 349
email: Amanda.Buckley@bhpbilliton.com
Kelly Quirke, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2896 Mobile: +61 429 966 312
email: Kelly.Quirke@bhpbilliton.com
Fiona Martin, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2211 Mobile: +61 427 777 908
email: Fiona.Martin2@bhpbilliton.com
United Kingdom & South Africa
Andre Liebenberg, Investor Relations
Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 Mobile: +44 7920 236 974
email: Andre.Liebenberg@bhpbilliton.com
United Kingdom & Americas
Ruban Yogarajah, Media Relations
Tel: US +1 713 966 2907 or UK +44 20 7802 4033
Mobile: UK +44 7827 082 022
email: Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com
Americas
Scott Espenshade, Investor Relations
Tel: +1 713 599 6431 Mobile: +1 713 208 8565
email: Scott.Espenshade@bhpbilliton.com
BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: 180 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia
Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +61 3 9609 3015
BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Neathouse Place
London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Fax +44 20 7802 4111
Members of the BHP Billiton group which is headquartered in Australia
Date: 20/01/2011 07:09:02 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za
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