VICTORIA — Exxon Mobil Corp. says it plans to spend up to $25 billion to build a liquefied natural gas export plant at Tuck Inlet, located within the city limits of Prince Rupert on British Columbia's north coast.
If the U.S.-based energy giant decides to go ahead with the project, it says construction will start in two years and the plant would be expected to be in operation by 2024.
Exxon filed its plans for its proposed West Coast Canada LNG project to the B.C. government's Environmental Assessment Office last week.
The company says it has 40 years of experience developing LNG projects in Qatar, Indonesia and New Guinea and it believes Canada and B.C. are well positioned to serve Asian and global markets.
Exxon says it considered eight potential export facility sites in the Kitimat and Prince Rupert areas before deciding to locate at Tuck Inlet, which has a deep-water shipping area and easy access to marine transport routes.
Exxon says the project will create between 1,000 and 6,000 construction jobs depending on the final plans for the development.