INPEX has started production of gas at its Ichthys LNG project, marking the start of approximately 40 years of operations of this large-scale LNG development.
The produced gas will be gathered within the Central Processing Facility, Ichthys Explorer, where it will be separated into gases and liquids. Thereafter, the liquids will be piped to the nearby Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility, Ichthys Venturer, while the gases will be transported via the 890-kilometer long gas export pipeline (GEP) to the onshore gas liquefaction plant at Darwin in Australia.
At the FPSO, the condensate contained in the well fluids will be processed to remove water and other impurities, then stored in tanks prior to export by tankers.
At the onshore gas liquefaction plant, gases will be processed to remove impurities after which any remaining condensate will be extracted. The gases will then be separated and liquefied to produce liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be stored in tanks and shipped in sequence.
The project expects to begin the shipment of products towards the end of the first half of the current fiscal year.