DNV GL has secured a contract to provide in-service verification and classification services to a range of facilities at the Ichthys LNG project in Australia, according to a news release.

INPEX is preparing to transition from the project execution phase to the operational phase of the megaproject. Plans are for operations to begin in 2017.

The primary scope of work includes in-service verification of the Ichthys facilities; the central processing facility (CPF), floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO), subsea production system, gas export pipeline, onshore combined cycle power plant and onshore LNG plant, the release said. DNV GL will also provide in-service classification of the CPF and the FPSO hulls.

DNV GL has provided vendor inspection, verification and offshore classification support to the US $34 billion venture since 2012.

Located 220 km offshore Western Australia, the Ichthys Field is located on block WA-285-P in the Browse Basin, Timor Sea. This gas and condensate field lies at a water depth of 250 m, and represents the largest discovery of hydrocarbon liquids in Australia in 40 years, according to the news release. The Ichthys LNG project includes an onshore processing facility and an 889-km pipeline that will unite them for an operational life of at least 40 years.

First production is scheduled for 2017 and the project is expected to produce 8.9 million tonnes of LNG and 1.6 million tonnes of LPG per annum, along with more than 100,000 barrels of condensate per day at peak, the release said. Gas and condensate from the Ichthys Field will be exported to onshore facilities for processing near Darwin via the pipeline. Most condensate will be directly shipped to global markets from an FPSO facility permanently moored near the Ichthys field in the Browse Basin.