A Calgary, Canada, company recently announced plans to build a new shipyard at an estimated cost of about $250 million (Canadian). William Richards, president of Dome Petroleum Ltd., said that the "world scale" facility would be used to construct liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and ice-strengthened crude oil tankers.

According to Mr. Richards, the shipyard would have a steel throughput of 60,000 tons annually, and when in full production would have a work force of more than 2,000 persons.

Dome Petroleum has a contract to supply a group of Japanese utilities with about 400 million cubic feet of gas daily beginning in 1985. Initial production at the new shipyard would be LNG tankers to carry the Canadian gas to Japan. A site for the new facility has not yet been selected.