Leighton Holdings has been awarded two contracts, together worth around $1.2 billion, for work on the Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, bringing the total value of oil and gas contracts awarded to the company to more than $4.5 billion.
The largest of the two contracts, worth $923 million, was awarded to Leighton Contractors for the delivery of the main civil infrastructure required for the Ichthys project's onshore facilities, including piling, foundations, and trenching for pipes, cables, sewers and drainage.
A four year, $280 million operations and maintenance project was also awarded to Leighton Contractors' services division for the temporary site facilities works, which will support construction of the onshore LNG facilities.
Under the contract, together with Morris Corporation, Leighton will deliver services including electrical and power distribution systems, temporary waste water management, fuel storage, roads and pest control.
Both contracts were awarded to Leighton by JKC Australia LNG, the engineering, procurement and construction contractor responsible for the Ichthys project’s onshore plant and infrastructure.
Construction of the main civil works at the site will begin in May 2013, and managing director of Leighton Contractors Craig Laslett said the works will benefit Darwin’s local workforce and businesses.
“We anticipate more than 3.5 million man-hours will be worked to deliver the project, with a peak workforce of more than 900 people,” he said.
Service mobilisation for the operations and maintenance project will commence in February 2013, and Leighton expects up to 300 people to be employed at its peak.
The Ichthys gas field is located around 200km off the WA coast, with the onshore processing facilities being constructed at Blaydin Point in Darwin.
