SKILLED Group announced that that its wholly owned subsidiary Skilled Offshore has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) advising it has been awarded a significant contract with Saipem to provide manning services for the Gas Export Pipeline component of the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project.
This project will construct an 889 kilometre pipeline connecting the offshore central processing facility to the onshore processing facility in Darwin.
Under the contract, Skilled Offshore will provide qualified construction & marine crews for engagement on the pipe-lay vessels. The total contract value is approximately $A200 million.
There is also provision for the supply of technical professional roles to the project, which would further increase the value of the contract.
Planning for project execution will begin immediately with construction and marine activity expected to commence towards the end of the 2014 financial year. This phase of the project is due to be completed by mid-2015.
Commenting on the contract award, SKILLED Group CEO, McMahon said, “ We are very pleased that Skilled Offshore will be supporting Saipem and the Ichthys LNG Project with the provision of highly qualified personnel and a focus on Australian jobs and training opportunities. We will be working in close collaboration with Saipem by providing an innovative approach to recruiting for these positions. This approach will see the Skilled Offshore project delivery team being based in the Saipem project office alongside Saipem personnel to ensure a full alignment of their objectives and successful outcome on this exciting and challenging project.”
“This contract win reflects SKILLED’s capability as Australia’s leading provider of flexible labour solutions, the development of an innovative solution to match client requirements and builds on our expanded presence in Darwin following our recent acquisition of Broadsword Marine Contractors .”
OMSA JV contract extended to December 2015
In addition, the OMSA Joint Venture, in which SKILLED Group has a 50% interest supplying marine logistics services to the Gorgon project, has been advised that its contract has been further extended from April 2014 to December 2015 under the existing terms and conditions. It is expected that activity levels will reduce through this period as the construction phase of the Gorgon project approaches completion.
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LNG World News Staff, September 25, 2013; Image: Inpex