Shell competes for labour skills

Royal Dutch Shell says it will look to non-traditional sources for labour for its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas project off Western Australia.

The move comes amid expectations Chevron's huge Gorgon LNG project will hog skilled workers.

The Prelude field, 475km north-northeast of Broome, is set to be the world's first floating LNG development when it begins production in 2016.

Shell executive vice-president of Upstream Australia, Ann Pickard, says the energy giant expects to make a final investment decision to proceed with Prelude in the next few months.

Gorgon, which is 25 per cent held by Shell, is expected to start production in 2014 and create 10,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities at peak construction.

Ms Pickard said Shell would over the next five years send 200 people to LNG plants around the world and to deepwater plants and marine institutions to gain the necessary skills.

- AAP