LNG Agreement with Shell

BHP Billiton Limited
29 May 2002


     BHP Billiton Limited is issuing this announcement to fulfil disclosure
  obligations arising from its secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange.

    The text of this release is identical to that issued by BHP Billiton Plc
                                    earlier.


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                                                     United Kingdom

Andrew Nairn, Investor Relations                              Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations
Tel: + 61 3 9609 3952 Mobile: [phone]                 Tel: [phone]
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Mandy Frostick, Media Relations                               South Africa
Tel: [phone] Mobile: [phone]                  Michael Campbell, Investor & Media Relations
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                                                              email: [e-mail]


United States

Francis McAllister, Investor Relations
Tel: [phone] Mobile: [phone]
email: [e-mail]


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