Inpex-operated multi-billion dollar Ichthys LNG project in Western Australia is 81 percent complete, Louis Bon, managing director of the Ichthys project said on Friday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the LNG18 conference in Perth, Bon said that the $37 billion LNG project, which was previously delayed , is on target for first production in the third quarter of 2017.
The Ichthys project was initially scheduled for start-up at the end of this year, however, in September last year, Inpex delayed the project start-up, also raising the production 6 percent from 8.4 mtpa to 8.9 mtpa of LNG.
The project involves gas from the Ichthys field in the Browse Basin off north-west Australia being exported to the onshore processing facilities located at Bladin Point near Darwin via a 889km pipeline.
According to Bon, the LNG project is “ more than half way through construction at Bladin Point “.
As per the offshore segment, the project finished laying the 42-inch subsea gas export pipeline and infield pipelay is also complete.
“ We’ve begun drilling production wells, and we’ve installed subsea manifolds and Christmas trees. The installation of the riser support structure and associated equipment has also been completed ,” Bon said.
During the past year, the Central Processing Facility (CPF) was floated out of dry dock in Korea while the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility is also taking “impressive shape”.
“ Both of these offshore facilities are set to be ready for sail away later this year, making the journey of 5,600 nautical miles from Korea to Australia ,” he added.
The Ichthys project is a joint venture between Japan’s Inpex, major partner Total of France, Taiwan’s CPC Corporation and the Australian subsidiaries of Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric, Chubu Electric Power and Toho Gas.
An overview of the project from the FID in 2012 to the recent developments can be viewed below.
LNG World News Staff