The timing couldn’t be worse for the first production of natural gas from Australia’s $54 billion Gorgon project – the world’s most expensive. Prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) have collapsed, global demand is faltering and the first of what is likely to be a wave of competing shipments has just set sail from the unlikeliest of exporters, the United States. But with tens of billions of dollars already invested, the oil majors behind Gorgon and other Australian LNG projects have little choice but to plough on, consigning the market to profit-sapping surplus for the foreseeable future. “Even though LNG prices are depressed, Gorgon and other projects will run,” said Neil Beveridge, senior analyst at Bernstein Research in Hong Kong. “But in terms of paying down that $54 billion capital charge, […]