Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit
Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN
20 May 2010
INPEX WINS APPEA ENVIRONMENT AWARD 2009
INPEX today accepted an APPEA award for excellence and innovation in environmental
management at the annual APPEA conference, being held in Brisbane.
The entry “Ichthys Project – Onshore Geotechnical Investigation, Blaydin Point, NT” was
chosen by APPEA as the most outstanding entry in Category B Exploration Company.
INPEX Australia Managing Director Seiya Ito said the safety, environment and engineering
teams exhibited true dedication in achieving the best outcome for the drilling program and
the environment.
“
I am very proud of the Ichthys Project team, which has worked collaboratively to produce
such excellent results,” Mr. Ito said.
In 2009, INPEX conducted a geotechnical investigation at the Ichthys Project’s proposed
onshore processing plant location on Blaydin Point, Darwin, Northern Territory. The
investigation was part of the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase and the results
are helping the engineering team design the most appropriate infrastructure for the onshore
plant.
Mr. Ito said that a number of the investigation boreholes were located in Darwin’s intertidal
mangrove areas and in salt flats.
“
This presented a number of challenges for INPEX, in particular accessing and working in
these areas, but also the environmental impact on Blaydin Point,” Mr. Ito said.
Some of the challenges included:
•
regular
tidal
inundation
•
working in soft substrates e.g. sand and mud
•
presence of potential acid sulfate soils
Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit
Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN
•
sensitivity of the mangrove environment
•
potential threats from crocodiles, and
•
being surrounded by biting insects.
Mr. Ito said the challenges required an innovative approach, combining technology, safety
and environmental innovations to achieve an integrated solution for the drilling program.
“
Everything needed to be done to minimise clearing and promote rapid regeneration of
cleared mangrove areas,” Mr. Ito said.
“
We also had to minimise disturbance to potential acid sulfate soils, which could otherwise
result in acid leachate.
“
At the same time we needed to ensure a safe working platform and achieve the best
results for the geotechnical investigation.”
For clearing, INPEX used a modified swamp excavator with a purpose-built disc-cutting
attachment, which allowed mangroves to be cut near ground level, leaving rootstock intact.
For drilling, a number of options were considered and it was determined that an amphibious
buggy ("marsh buggy") on which a drilling rig could be mounted, would be used. As with the
swamp excavator, the wide tracks of the buggy allowed for load distribution over a large
area, which meant that it only exerted a ground pressure of approximately 1.8–2.2 psi. It
was the first time the ‘marsh buggy’, which was sourced from Louisiana in the United States,
had been used in Australia.
Mr. Ito said the use of the buggy helped to maintain the stability and integrity of mangrove
soils, reducing the potential risk of erosion and allowing for improved mangrove regeneration.
The geotechnical investigation was conducted on behalf of the Ichthys Project Joint Venture
Participants INPEX and Total E&P Australia. The Joint Venture was supported by lead
contractor Arup and drilling contractor J&S Drilling.
ENDS
About INPEX
Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit
Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN
INPEX CORPORATION is a worldwide oil and gas exploration and production company
currently involved in more than 70 projects across 26 countries. INPEX is ranked in the Top
50 global petroleum companies and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. INPEX has
been a part of the Australian business community since 1986 and is involved in a number of
projects in Australia and the Timor Sea, including the large scale Ichthys Project, Van Gogh
Project, Ravensworth Project, Bayu-Undan Development and Darwin LNG.
About the Ichthys Project
The Ichthys Project is a Joint Venture between INPEX Browse Ltd (76%, the Operator) and
Total E&P Australia (24%). Gas from the Ichthys Field, in the Browse Basin offshore of
Western Australia, will undergo preliminary processing offshore to remove water and raw
liquids, including condensate. The gas will then be exported to the onshore processing
facilities in Darwin via an 885km subsea pipeline. The Ichthys Project is expected to produce
8.4 million tonnes of LNG and approximately 1.6 million tonnes of LPG per annum, along
with 100,000 barrels of condensate per day at peak.
Media Contact: INPEX Tokyo Office, Public Relations Group, Tel) +81-3-5572-0233
Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit
Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN
INPEX Booth, APPEA2010
Innovative solution in a challenging mangrove environment: The amphibious marsh buggy exerted
a ground pressure of only 1.8-2.2psi, which meant it could access boggy and potential acid sulfate
soil areas with minimal disturbance to the soil surface. Importantly, the amphibious marsh buggy
also provided a safe elevated working platform for the drilling team.
Receiving the APPEA Environment Award 2009
Dr. Eric Koning, Senior Project Director, Project
Coordination, INPEX BROWSE, LTD. (Left)
The Hon. Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources and
Energy, Australian Government. (Right)
