Norway-based vessel owner Solstad Offshore said it has won a contract extension for the Inpex-operated Ichthys LNG export project in Australia.
Inpex awarded Solstad a three-year contract in October 2019 for the provision of two anchor handlers to support drilling for the Ichthys LNG development.
Normand Scorpion and Normand Sirius firm operational period will now continue until August 2023 with additional options available to Inpex thereafter, Solstad said.
The anchor handlers have been supporting Inpex operations with the Maersk Deliverer since early 2020 operating from Broome, Australia.
The Ichthys project produces LNG at the 8.9 mtpa plant at Bladin Point near Darwin. The facility recently shipped its 300th cargo since start of operations in 2018.
Natural gas arrives in Darwin from the giant Ichthys field offshore Western Australia via an 890-kilometre export pipeline.
Ichthys is a joint venture between operator Inpex and major partner France’s Total. Other partners include Australian units of CPC Corporation Taiwan, Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Kansai Electric Power, JERA and Toho Gas.