Japan’s Inpex, the operator of the Ichthys LNG export plant, has secured an exploration block located near the Ichthys gas and condensate field offshore Western Australia.
Inpex Browse, a unit of Inpex, was awarded the exploration permit over release area AC22-1, now named AC/P71 in Australia’s 2022 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release.
According to a statement, Inpex Browse will be the operator and hold 100 perccnt working interest in the title.
Moreover, the block is located off the northern coast of Western Australia and covers a surface area of about 920 square kilometers, in water depths ranging between about 100 and 300 meters.
Inpex Browse will pursue exploration activities as per the title obligations.
Inpex said the block is adjacent to the AC/RL7 retention lease in which the company acquired a 74 percent participating interest in 2023 and where natural gas and condensate fields have been discovered.
The block is therefore, considered to be in a “promising” exploration area, the firm said.
Inpex said the block is located to the north of and in the general vicinity of the Ichthys gas and condensate field, which supplies natural gas to the Ichthys LNG project.
“Therefore, success in this exploration permit will contribute to enhancing the project’s resilience,” the firm added.
Inpex has shipped 66 LNG cargoes from its Ichthys export plant in Australia during the first half of this year, one cargo more compared to the same period last year.
Besides the 66 LNG cargoes, the Ichthys project also sent 12 plant condensate cargoes, 16 offshore condensate cargoes, and 17 LPG cargoes during the first half of this year.
