Inpex Masela, a subsidiary of Inpex Corporation, has awarded a marine survey contract to Fugro for the Abadi liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Indonesia.
The project is a key development in the region, with expectations that it will contribute to energy security in Indonesia, Japan and other Asian countries.
Fugro will conduct geophysical and geotechnical surveys to support the front-end engineering design of offshore production facilities, a submarine pipeline to the onshore LNG terminal and CO₂ injection infrastructure.
The acquisition of geo-data will utilise Fugro’s advanced Echo Surveyor 8 autonomous underwater vehicle and a robotic seafloor drill.
The fieldwork for the Abadi LNG project is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2024.
The project, which involves collaboration between Inpex, Pertamina Hulu Energi Masela and PETRONAS Masela, is based on an onshore LNG development scheme in the Masela block.
Fugro CEO Mark Heine said: “We are pleased to once again support Inpex, a company that understands the value provided by our geo-data expertise. This is particularly valid for the development of Abadi LNG project, where overcoming engineering challenges including slope stability, regional seismicity, subsea faulting and carbonate sediments will require a collaborative and informed approach.”
The project is expected to have a substantial impact on the energy landscape of the region, with an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of LNG produced per year.
This output represents more than 10% of Japan's current annual LNG imports, highlighting the project's strategic importance.
Inpex, under the leadership of CEO Takayuki Ueda, is aiming to complete the project by the end of this decade.
Holding a 65% stake in the venture, Inpex is planning to initiate the front-end engineering design by late this year or early next year.
The company is also in the process of securing binding contracts with Asian LNG buyers, including those in Japan, as preliminary design work gets under way.
The Abadi LNG project is poised to be Inpex’s second significant LNG venture after the Ichthys project in Australia, which is set to achieve its targeted LNG production this year.
