Ichthys FPSO and CPF Named

Japan’s Inpex said a double celebration was held February 17 at South Korea’s shipyards with the official naming ceremonies of both offshore facilities for the Ichthys LNG Project.

At the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) shipyard, Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop named the project’s central processing facility (CPF) Ichthys Explorer, while at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard the former chief minister of Australia’s Northern Territory, Clare Martin, named the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO), Ichthys Venturer.

Inpex CEO Toshiaki Kitamura said Ichthys was one of the largest conventional offshore gas development projects in the world. Inpex is Ichthys’ operator with 62.245%%, followed by Total 30%, CPC Taiwan 2.625%. Five Japanese firms hold the remaining balance.

“Our project’s two gigantic floating facilities will be located in the Ichthys gas-condensate field, located about 220km offshore Western Australia, for 40 years of continuous operation, setting new benchmarks for durability,” said Kitamura. The onshore liquefaction plant built at Darwin, Northern Territory, will produce 8.9mn metric tons of LNG and 1.6mn mt LPG per year, plus some 100,000 barrels of condensate per day at peak.

FPSO Ichthys Venturer (photo credit: Inpex)

At 130 metres by 120 metres, Ichthys Explorer is the world’s largest semi- submersible platform. Most liquids will be transferred from it to the 336 metre-long Ichthys Venturer for offshore processing and condensate offloading. Linking the massive Ichthys Explorer to the onshore gas liquefaction plant is the longest subsea pipeline in the southern hemisphere, 42 inches in diameter and 890km in length.

Inpex took its final investment decision (FID) on Ichthys in January 2012; the project is expected to start producing this year.

Earlier last month Inpex announced the completion of installation of subsea infrastructure and equipment for the Ichthys LNG project. 

Mark Smedley