29 May 2002 Number: 32/02 BHP BILLITON SIGNS LNG SALES AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH SHELL BHP Billiton, together with the other participants in the North West Shelf Venture, today signed Sales and Purchase Agreements with Shell Eastern LNG (Shell) for the sale of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the North West Shelf Venture in Western Australia (NWS). The agreement covers the supply of up to 3.7 million tonnes of LNG between 2004 and 2009 from the NWS LNG expansion project. The actual volume will be dependent on the volume of LNG that the North West Shelf LNG Sellers commit to long-term customers in the core markets of Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. Shell will use the LNG to develop market opportunities outside of the core markets of the NWS LNG Sellers. The agreement with Shell follows the Key Terms Agreement signed in May 2001, and is the fourth in a series of Sales and Purchase Agreements to be signed for supply of LNG from the North West Shelf Venture's LNG expansion project. The project includes a fourth LNG processing train at the Venture's gas processing facilities on the Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia, and a second trunkline from the North Rankin A Platform to shore. First LNG from the fourth train is scheduled for mid-2004. BHP Billiton's equity in the North West Shelf Project is 16.67 per cent. The other participants are Woodside Energy Ltd (operator - 16.67 per cent); BP Developments Australia Pty Ltd (16.67 per cent); Chevron Australia Pty Ltd (16.67 per cent); Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty Ltd (16.67 per cent); and Shell Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited (16.67 per cent). Further information can be found on our Internet site: http://www.bhpbilliton.com Australia Andrew Nairn, Investor Relations Tel: +61 3 9609 3952 Mobile: +61 408 313 259 mailto:Andrew.W.Nairn@bhpbilliton.com Mandy Frostick, Media Relations Tel: +61 3 9609 4157 Mobile: +61 419 546 245 mailto:Mandy.J.Frostick@bhpbilliton.com United States Francis McAllister, Investor Relations Tel: +1 713 961 8625 Mobile: +1 713 480 3699 mailto:Francis.R.McAllister@bhpbilliton.com United Kingdom Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations Tel: +44 20 7747 3956 mailto:Mark.T.Lidiard@bhpbilliton.com South Africa Michael Campbell, Investor & Media Relations Tel: +27 11 376 3360 Mobile: +27 82 458 2587 mailto:Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbilliton.com BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 Registered in Australia Registered Office: 600 Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Telephone +61 3 9609 3333 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209 Registered in England and Wales Registered Office: 1-3 Strand London WC2N 5HA United Kingdom Telephone +44 20 7747 3800 Facsimile +44 20 7747 3900 A member of the BHP Billiton group which is headquartered in Australia