The Inpex-operated Ichthys LNG project’s floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility, the Ichthys Venturer has arrived in Australian waters.
The 336 metres long, 59 metres wide facility will be permanently moored in the Browse Basin, about 220 kilometres off the Western Australian coast.
“The safe completion of the 5600-kilometres, 26-day tow of the Ichthys Venturer from South Korea to Australian waters is another significant stride forward for the Ichthys LNG project,” said managing director Ichthys project, Louis Bon .
“The FPSO has been designed to hold 1.12 million barrels of condensate and operate for 40 years in a cyclonic environment,” Bon said.
Ichthys Venturer joins the Ichthys LNG project’s central processing facility (CPF), the Ichthys Explorer, which, according to Inpex is the world’s largest semisubmersible platform that was recently moored in the Ichthys Field.
Once the Ichthys Venturer is moored in the 250-metre deep waters of the Ichthys field, hook-up and commissioning activities will commence.
The FPSO will process, stabilise and store the condensate delivered from the Ichthys Explorer before periodically offloading it to tankers for export to market.
The Ichthys LNG project is expected to produce up to 8.9 million tonnes of LNG per annum and 1.65 million tonnes of LPG per annum, along with approximately 100,000 barrels of condensate per day at peak.