ABB pens five-year Ichthys services deal with Inpex

ABB, a power and automation technology provider, has signed a five-year framework agreement with Inpex to provide services ensuring equipment uptime and optimization of LNG production at the Ichthys project.

Described as three mega-projects in one, the Ichthys LNG project incorporates offshore facilities located 220 kilometers off the West Australian coast along with the onshore processing facilities in Darwin and an 890-kilometer subsea pipeline to unite them.

ABB said on Tuesday that the project contained over $200 million worth of electrification and automation equipment supplied by the company across onshore and offshore project components, along with critical equipment in the gas processing plant.

“The project is expected to have an operational life of 40 years, therefore extending equipment asset lifetimes to reduce capital expenditures, along with maintenance and operational costs is critical,” the company said.

The agreement offers Inpex a commercial framework and a single entity for services, products, and around-the-clock support.

When operational, Inpex will look to receive additional technical support and services, including electrical asset management, remote and condition monitoring, predictive analytics, and alarm management applications.

This latest frame agreement covers support services for equipment supplied by ABB to facilitate the main power distribution for the onshore dual train LNG processing facility near Darwin that liquefies the gas collected from the offshore field.

The agreement also includes support for the electrical power distribution for the entire Ichthys Venturer FPSO and the semi-submersible central processing facility Ichthys Explorer.

ABB also supplied analyzer equipment and instrumentation across the Ichthys LNG project assets.

The Ichthys LNG Project is a joint venture between Inpex – the operator of the project, major partner Total, CPC Corporation Taiwan, and the Australian subsidiaries of Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric Power, JERA, and Toho Gas.