UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
October 19, 2011
| BHP BILLITON LIMITED | BHP BILLITON PLC | |
| (ABN 49 004 028 077) | (REG. NO. 3196209) | |
| (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) | (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) |
| VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA | ENGLAND AND WALES | |
| (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation) | (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation) | |
| 180 LONSDALE STREET, MELBOURNE, | NEATHOUSE PLACE, VICTORIA, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM | |
| VICTORIA | ||
| 3000 AUSTRALIA | ||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Address of principal executive offices) | |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F: x Form 20-F ¨ Form 40-F
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: ¨ Yes x No
If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): n/a
| NEWS RELEASE |
| |||
| Release Time | IMMEDIATE | |||
| Date | 19 October 2011 | |||
| Number | 30/11 | |||
BHP BILLITON EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT
FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2011
This report covers the Group’s exploration and development activities for the September 2011 quarter. 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
Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) Rapid Growth Project 5 (RGP5) was completed on schedule during the September 2011 quarter and the ramp up of this well timed project is now underway. Subsequent expansions to 240 million tonnes per annum and beyond will leverage infrastructure installed as part of the RGP5 project scope and enable BHP Billiton to fully utilise its inner harbour capacity at Port Hedland. The North West Shelf CWLH Life Extension project (Australia) was also completed on 24 September 2011. These projects will not be reported in future Exploration and Development Reports.
During the September 2011 quarter, BHP Billiton continued to add to its approved pipeline of high return, growth projects diversified across commodity, geography and customer. Investments in energy coal totalling US$804 million (BHP Billiton share) will facilitate a further phase of expansion at the world class Cerrejon coal mine (Colombia) to approximately 40 million tonnes per annum (100 per cent basis) and the third stage of development of the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group’s (NCIG) coal handling facility in Newcastle (Australia).
| Project and ownership |
Share
of |
Initial |
Production capacity (100%) |
Quarterly progress | ||||
| Petroleum projects | ||||||||
| Macedon (Australia) 71.43% Gas |
1,050 | CY13 | 200 million cubic feet gas per day. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 39% complete. | ||||
| Bass Strait Kipper (Australia) 32.5% - 50% Gas/Gas Liquids |
900 | CY12(a) | 10,000 bpd condensate and processing capacity of 80 million cubic feet gas per day. | On revised schedule and budget. The overall project is 82% complete. | ||||
| Bass Strait Turrum (Australia) 50% Gas/Gas Liquids |
1,350 | CY13 | 11,000 bpd condensate and processing capacity of 200 million cubic feet gas per day. | On revised schedule and budget. The overall project is 69% complete. | ||||
| Project and ownership |
Share
of |
Initial |
Production capacity (100%) |
Quarterly progress | ||||
| North West Shelf CWLH Life Extension (Australia) 16.67% Oil |
245 | CY11 | Replacement vessel with capacity of 60,000 bpd oil. | First production achieved on 24 September 2011. | ||||
| North West Shelf North Rankin B Gas Compression (Australia) 16.67% LNG |
850 | CY13 | 2,500 million cubic feet gas per day. | On budget. Steady state production remains on track for CY13. The overall project is 75% complete. | ||||
| Minerals projects | ||||||||
| Worsley Efficiency & Growth (Australia) 86% Alumina |
2,995 | Q1 CY12 | 1.1 million tpa of additional alumina. | On revised schedule and budget. The overall project is 84% complete. | ||||
| Antamina Expansion (Peru) 33.75% Copper |
435 | Q4 CY11 | Increases ore processing capacity to 130,000 tpd. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 68% complete. | ||||
| Escondida Ore Access (Chile) 57.5% Copper |
319 | Q2 CY12 | The relocation of the in-pit crushing and conveyor infrastructure provides access to higher grade ore. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 57% complete. | ||||
| EKATI Misery Open Pit Project (Canada) 80% Diamonds |
323 | CY15 | Project consists of a pushback of the existing Misery open pit which was mined from 2001 to 2005. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 12% complete. | ||||
| WAIO RGP5 (Australia) 85% Iron Ore |
4,800 | H2 CY11 | Scope review completed and integrated into subsequent expansion approvals that will increase WAIO capacity to 220 million tpa. | First production achieved on schedule, ramp up underway. | ||||
| WAIO Jimblebar Mine Expansion (Australia) 96% Iron Ore |
3,300(b) | Q1 CY14 | Increases mining and processing capacity to 35 million tpa with incremental debottlenecking opportunities to 55 million tpa. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 15% complete. | ||||
| WAIO Port Hedland Inner Harbour Expansion (Australia) 85% Iron Ore |
1,900(b) | H2 CY12 | Increases total inner harbour capacity to 220 million tpa with debottlenecking opportunities to 240 million tpa. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 35% complete. | ||||
| BHP Billiton Exploration and Development Report for the quarter ended 30 September 2011 | 2 |
| Project and ownership |
Share
of |
Initial |
Production capacity (100%) |
Quarterly progress | ||||
| WAIO Port Blending and Rail Yard Facilities (Australia) 85% Iron Ore |
1,400(b) | H2 CY14 | Optimises resource and enhances efficiency across the WAIO supply chain. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 11% complete. | ||||
| Samarco Fourth Pellet Plant (Brazil) 50% Iron Ore |
1,750 | H1 CY14 | Increases iron ore pellet production capacity by 8.3 million tpa to 30.5 million tpa. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 9% complete. | ||||
| Daunia (Australia) 50% Metallurgical Coal |
800 | CY13 | Greenfield mine development with capacity to produce 4.5 million tpa of export metallurgical coal. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 18% complete. | ||||
| Broadmeadow Life Extension (Australia) 50% Metallurgical Coal |
450 | CY13 | Increases productive capacity by 0.4 million tpa and extends life of the mine by 21 years. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 43% complete. | ||||
| Hay Point Stage Three Expansion (Australia) 50% Metallurgical Coal |
1,250(b) | CY14 | Increases port capacity from 44 million tpa to 55 million tpa and reduces storm vulnerability. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 31% complete. | ||||
| RX1 Project (Australia) 100% Energy Coal |
400 | H2 CY13 | Increases run-of-mine thermal coal production by approximately 4 million tpa. | On schedule and budget. The overall project is 44% complete. | ||||
| Cerrejon P40 Project (Colombia) 33.3% Energy Coal |
437 | CY13 | Increases saleable thermal coal production by 8 million tpa to approximately 40 million tpa. | Approval announced. See News Release dated 18 August 2011. | ||||
| Newcastle Third Port Project Stage 3 (Australia) 35.5% Energy Coal |
367 | CY14 | Increases total coal terminal capacity from 53 million tpa to 66 million tpa. | Approval announced. See News Release dated 31 August 2011. | ||||
| BHP Billiton Exploration and Development Report for the quarter ended 30 September 2011 | 3 |
Minerals exploration
Greenfield exploration continued on copper targets in South America, Mongolia and Zambia; nickel and copper targets in Australia; and diamond targets in Canada. Exploration for iron ore, potash and uranium was undertaken in a number of regions including Australia, Africa and the Americas.
For the quarter ended 30 September 2011, BHP Billiton spent US$255 million on minerals exploration, of which US$213 million was expensed.
Petroleum exploration
Exploration and appraisal wells drilled during the quarter or in the process of drilling as at 30 September 2011.
| Well |
Location |
BHP Billiton equity |
Status | |||
| Deep Blue-1 | Green Canyon Gulf of Mexico GC 723 |
31.875% (Noble operator) |
Drilling ahead | |||
| Mad Dog North-1 | Green Canyon Gulf of Mexico GC 738 |
23.9% (BP operator)(c) |
Hydrocarbons encountered See News Release dated 7 September 2011 Drilling ahead | |||
| Bao Dom May-1 | Western Trough Vietnam Block 28 |
50% (Operator) |
Plugged and abandoned Dry hole | |||
| Argus-2 | Browse Basin Australia AC/RL 8 |
40% (Woodside operator) |
Temporarily abandoned | |||
| Jurjur-1 | Sabah Malaysia Block N |
60% (Operator) |
Temporarily suspended for equipment repairs | |||
| Julong Centre | Brunei Block CA-01 |
22.5% (Total operator) |
Drilling ahead | |||
| Canteen North | Trinidad and Tobago Block 2C |
45% (Operator) |
Plugged and abandoned Hydrocarbons encountered | |||
| Seraph-1 | North West Shelf Australia WA-3-L |
16.67% (Woodside operator) |
Drilling ahead | |||
Petroleum exploration expenditure for the quarter ended 30 September 2011 was US$155 million, of which US$64 million was expensed. Our guidance for petroleum exploration expenditure for the 2012 financial year is US$1 billion, excluding Onshore US exploration.
This report, together with the Production Report, represents the Interim Management Statement for the purposes of the UK Listing Authority’s Disclosure and Transparency Rules. There have been no significant changes to the financial position of the Group in the quarter ended 30 September 2011, other than those arising from the Group’s previously announced acquisition of Petrohawk Energy Corporation that was completed during the period which affected the Group’s cash reserves, net debt and gearing levels.
| (a) | Facilities ready for first production pending resolution of mercury content. |
| (b) | Excludes announced pre-commitment funding. |
| (c) | BHP Billiton is operator of the well. |
| BHP Billiton Exploration and Development Report for the quarter ended 30 September 2011 | 4 |
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found at: www.bhpbilliton.com
| Media Relations | Investor Relations | |
| Australia | Australia | |
|
Samantha Stevens Tel: +61 3 9609 2898 Mobile: +61 400 693 915 email: Samantha.Stevens@bhpbilliton.com |
James Agar Tel: +61 3 9609 2222 Mobile: +61 467 807 064 email: James.Agar@bhpbilliton.com | |
| Kelly Quirke | Andrew Gunn | |
| Tel: +61 3 9609 2896 Mobile: +61 429 966 312 | Tel: +61 3 9609 3575 Mobile: +61 439 558 454 | |
| email: Kelly.Quirke@bhpbilliton.com | email: Andrew.Gunn@bhpbilliton.com | |
| Fiona Martin | United Kingdom and South Africa | |
| Tel: +61 3 9609 2211 Mobile: +61 427 777 908 email: Fiona.Martin2@bhpbilliton.com |
Brendan Harris Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 Mobile: +61 437 134 814 email: Brendan.Harris@bhpbilliton.com | |
| United Kingdom and Americas | ||
| Ruban Yogarajah | Americas | |
| Tel: US +1 713 966 2907 or UK +44 20 7802 4033 |
Scott Espenshade Tel: +1 713 599 6431 Mobile: +1 713 208 8565 email: Scott.Espenshade@bhpbilliton.com | |
| Mobile: UK +44 7827 082 022 | ||
| email: Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com | ||
| BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 | BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209 | |
| Registered in Australia | Registered in England and Wales | |
| Registered Office: 180 Lonsdale Street | Registered Office: Neathouse Place | |
| Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia | London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom | |
| Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +61 3 9609 3015 | Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Fax +44 20 7802 4111 | |
Members of the BHP Billiton Group which is headquartered in Australia
| BHP Billiton Exploration and Development Report for the quarter ended 30 September 2011 | 5 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc | ||||
| Date: October 19, 2011 | By: | /s/ Jane McAloon | ||
| Name: | Jane McAloon | |||
| Title: | Group Company Secretary | |||