Japan’s Inpex said its Ichthys export project in Australia has shipped 64 LNG cargoes in the first half of this year, up by 17 cargoes when compared to the same period in the year before.
The 8.9 mtpa LNG plant at Bladin Point near Darwin sent 47 LNG cargoes in the first half last year and 117 LNG cargoes in 2021.
During the first half of this year, the Ichthys project shipped 12 condensate cargoes from the onshore plant and 17 condensate cargoes from the FPSO, as well as 17 LPG cargoes from the Bladin Point facility, according to Inpex.
Inpex expects the Ichthys project to dispatch about ten cargoes per month during 2022.
The firm previously said it plans to close the LNG plant for scheduled maintenance between July and August this year as the firm did last year during May and June.
Inpex also added that it aims to further increase the current production capacity by 2024, and “build a framework to stably supply 9.3 million tons of LNG per year.”
Natural gas arrives in Darwin from the giant Ichthys field offshore Western Australia via an 890-kilometer export pipeline.
Ichthys LNG is a joint venture between operator Inpex and major partner France’s TotalEnergies.
Other partners include Australian units of CPC Corporation Taiwan, Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric Power, JERA and Toho Gas.