INPEX unloads first modules for Ichthys LNG project processing facilities in Darwin, Australia
INPEX CORPORATION (INPEX) announced today the INPEX - operated Ichthys LNG Project is preparing for the next phase of its onshore construction effort , following the unloading of its first large pre - fabricated modules on June 29, the company said in its press release.
The modules will be used to construct the Project’s LNG processing facilities at Bladin Point near Darwin , Australia. Ichthys LNG Project Managing Director Louis Bon said the safe arrival of the first of more than 200 modules was an important milestone for the Project and marked the next phase for its onshore construction effort. “Much of the work we have been doing to transform Bladin Point has been leading up to this event – we have been setting the foundations to prepare for their arrival and install ation at site,” he said.
A modularised approach to construction is now common in Australia. For the Ichthys LNG Project, this approach involved having components of its onshore facilities assembled in modules at fabrication yards and tested before transporting them to site. Mr Bon said designing and constructing modules in this way was a key part of delivering the global project on schedule and on budget. Module unloading at MOF at Bladin Point, Darwin “The Ichthys LNG Project’s onshore facilities were designed so that some elements would be modularised while others could be stick - built on site in Darwin,” Mr Bon said. The Ichthys LNG Project’s pre - fabrica ted modules are being built at four yards in China, the Philippines and Thailand. Over the next 18 months, about 60 module shipments are scheduled to arrive in Darwin.
The largest modules can weigh more than 6,000 tonnes. Transported on large, custom - made marine vessels, module shipments will travel past Darwin on the way to the Project’s module offloading facility (MOF) at Bladin Point. The MOF supports the offloading of the large modules and oversized equipment that is too large to be transported to site by road. About INPEX INPEX CORPORATION is a worldwide oil and gas exploration and production company based in Tokyo, Japan, with more than 70 active projects across 27 countries. Since 1966, INPEX has been growing steadily, from its core business areas in Australia and Indonesia to the Middle East, the Caspian Sea region, the Gulf of Mexico and North and South America.
About the Ichthys LNG Project
The Ichthys LNG Project is a Joint Venture between INPEX group companies (the Operator), major partner TOTAL and the Australian subsidiaries of Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Chubu Electric Power and Toho Gas. Gas from the Ichthys Field, in the Browse Basin offshore Western Australia, will undergo preliminary processing offshore to remove water and raw liquids, including condensate. The gas will then be exported to the onshore processing facilities in Darwin via an 889 km pipeline. The Ichthys LNG Project is expected to produce 8.4 million tonnes of LNG and 1.6 million tonnes of LPG per annum, along with approximately 100,000 barrels of condensate per day at peak. Detailed Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of the Ichthys LNG Projec t is ongoing and production is scheduled to commence by the end of 2016. With an expected operational life of at least 40 years, the Ichthys LNG Project offers rare multi - generational opportunities to communities, economies, businesses, energy markets and its workforce.
