ABB wins $80m worth of orders for Ichthys LNG project

ABB has won $80 million worth of orders to supply power technologies and medium-voltage drive systems for the new Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing plant near Darwin. Half of the order value was booked at the end of the first quarter, with the remaining orders expected in the second quarter.

The Ichthys Gas Field is in the Browse Basin, off the coast of Western Australia. The gas will undergo preliminary processing offshore to remove water and extract condensate. An 889 km subsea pipeline will transport the gas to onshore processing facilities in Darwin.

ABB’s equipment will facilitate the main power supply for the onshore dual train LNG processing facility and control the compressors that liquefy the gas collected from the offshore field. ABB will design and deliver a power supply solution for the LNG processing facility, including supply of key equipment such as power and distribution transformers, medium-voltage switchgear, low-voltage motor control centres (MCC) and a power distribution monitoring and control system.

Six medium-voltage variable-speed drive systems, including synchronous 2-pole motors rated at 20 megawatt (MW) and 3600 revolutions per minute (rpm), and two medium-voltage variable-speed drive systems, including induction motors, rated 3.2 MW, will be installed to help process the LNG, together with converter transformers.

The Ichthys LNG project is a joint venture between INPEX, Total, Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas and Toho Gas. It is the second-largest oil and gas development in Australian history. It is anticipated that the project will produce 8.4 million tonnes of LNG and 1.6 million tonnes of LPG a year, as well as approximately 100,000 barrels of condensate at peak.