Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent
MELBOURNE, July 16 -- Inpex Corp. and Total E&P have released their draft environmental impact statement for the Ichthys LNG project in northwest Australia.
The EIS covers all aspects of the proposed project, including the offshore processing facilities at the field in the Browse basin off Western Australia, the subsea gas pipeline from the field to Darwin in the Northern Territory, and the onshore LNG plant at Blaydin Point in Darwin Harbor.
The EIS covers marine ecological studies in Darwin Harbor, along the pipeline route and around the field. There is modeling of air and water quality, wastewater discharge, and emissions as well as the socioeconomic impact and growth assessments.
Inpex says that economic modeling for the project suggests the Australian economy will be boosted by an estimated $3.5 billion (Aus.)/year, including an annual expansion of the Northern Territory economy by an average of 18%.
A final investment decision on the $22.7 billion (Aus.) project is expected during fourth-quarter 2011.
The development is big by any measure and includes what may be the world’s largest floating processing platform, which will be capable of stripping 100,000 b/d of condensate from the gas stream as well as an 850-km subsea gas pipeline.
Ichthys will have an initial output of 8.4 million tonnes/year of LNG from two trains and 1.6 million tpy of LPG. First gas is expected in 2016.
The EIS will be open for public comment for 8 weeks.