From Australia (NT): The Inpex group has begun development drilling at the Ichthys (SEN, 31/22) gas/condensate field in the Browse Basin, 200km offshore northwest Western Australia.

The first well was spudded by the semi Ensco 5006 early this month. Another 19 wells are planned for the Brewster Formation reservoir.

The wells will be directionally drilled to 4,000-4,500m submudline, grouped around five drill centres of four to six wells.

The Ensco rig will be joined by a second semi Jack Bates, later in the programme. Both rigs will be supplied and air serviced from Inpex’s offshore logistics base in Broome WA.

In other project news, the deepwater pipelay for the 889km gas export line to Darwin has also begun. Saipem’s installation vessel Castorone will lay the 718km section to connect with the 164km shallow water section of pipe layed into Darwin harbour and the LNG plant at Blayden Point last year by Saipem’s Semac-1 semi-submersible barge. Saipem expects to complete the pipeline late this year.

The Ichthys gas floater-to-LNG project will produce 8.4mt/a of LNG from two trains along with 1.6mt/a of LPG and 100,000b/d of condensate. Reserves are estimated to be 340bcm and 500mmbbls of condensate. The project is due onstream next year.