Worker dies at Ichthys LNG onshore plant

A worker at the Inpex-led Ichthys LNG project’s onshore facility in Bladin Point, near Darwin, in Australia’s Northern Territory, died following a workplace incident. 

In an emailed statement to LNG World News, Inpex Australia confirmed a “serious incident occurred at its Bladin Point construction site in Darwin at approximately 8 pm (ACST) last night, that resulted in the death of a worker.”

Reporting on the incident, the local media stated various causes of the fatality from falling from great hight to breaking through the temporary flooring.

However, NT WorkSafe, a division of the Department of Attorney-General and Justice, denied these claims saying, “the deceased was working in a confined space installing insulation within a tank when the incident occurred.”

NT WorkSafe added that its inspectors are on site to investigate after a prohibition notice was issued a 3:00 am local time, stopping all insulation work within tanks on the construction site.

Inpex said it is now in the process of informing its workforce and providing access to counseling and the opportunity to spend time with colleagues.

The company noted it is cooperating with relevant authorities regarding the incident.

Ichthys LNG project remains on track for production start before the end of the current fiscal year, ending March 31, 2018, after its initial start date in the third quarter of this year was revised.

The production will follow the completion of the hook-up and commissioning of its two offshore facilities, the central processing facility, Ichthys Explorer and the floating production, storage and offloading facility (FPSO), Ichthys Venturer, that have been moored at their respective locations in the Ichthys field, 220 kilometers off the north coast of Western Australia.

The project is expected to reach full production capacity of 8.9 million tons of LNG per annum, 1.65 million tons of LPG per annum, along with approximately 100,000 barrels of condensate per day, over a period of two years following the start of production.

Ichthys LNG project is a joint venture between Inpex, major partner Total, Taiwan’s CPC Corporation and the Australian subsidiaries of Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric, Chubu Electric Power and Toho Gas.

LNG World News Staff