Woodside plans to develop the Scarborough gas resource through new offshore facilities connected to a proposed expansion of the Pluto LNG onshore facility through an approximately 430km pipeline
Image: Photo courtesy of Kasey Houston/Freeimages.com.
Australian independent oil and gas company Woodside, as the operator of the Scarborough joint venture, has awarded a contract to Boskalis Australia to provide seabed intervention and shore crossing works for the proposed Scarborough export gas pipeline.
The export trunk line connects the Scarborough gas field to onshore processing infrastructure.
Woodside said that the contract covers the preparatory undertakings for the offshore deepwater excavation, pipeline crossings, nearshore, and shore crossing works for the export pipeline.
In addition, the contractor is expected to deploy specialised excavation and rock placement equipment for the complex scope, which also includes the supply of rock material, with significant local employment.
The in-field works are executed following a positive final investment decision taken on the project by the Scarborough Joint Venture.
The company said that the bidders for contract awards are required to provide an indicative list of work scopes that would be advertised to ensure local companies are provided full, fair and reasonable opportunity to participate in contracting opportunities.
The local supply chain opportunities are expected to increase during the construction phase of the projects following the reaching of final investment decisions on the Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 projects.
Woodside CEO Peter Coleman said: “Western Australia has played a vital role in supplying resources to the world and that role is now more important than ever as we are faced with the dual challenge of providing extra energy and cleaner energy for global and domestic markets.”
Woodside said that the award of the seabed intervention contract marks another step towards unlocking the value of the Scarborough gas resource.
The company is planning to develop the 7.3Tcf Scarborough gas resource through new offshore facilities connected to a proposed expansion of the existing Pluto LNG onshore facility, through an approximately 430km pipeline.
Final investment decision on Scarborough is expected to be taken in 2020
Woodside is expected to take a final investment decision in 2020 and ready for start-up (RFSU) in 2023, subject to the joint venture approvals, regulatory approvals and appropriate commercial arrangements being finalised.
In May, the Canadian engineering group SNC-Lavalin was awarded two sub-contracts to provide front end engineering design support for the development of a floating production unit on the project.