Inpex executive says that the run rate of Ichthys LNG is nearing full capacity by end-April.
A company executive revealed on Tuesday that the run rate of the Ichthys LNG plant, operated by Japan’s largest oil and gas explorer Inpex Corp., in Australia had recovered to near full capacity at end-April.
Senior vice president Daisuke YAMADA said at a press conference that the plant's running rate was down to about 80%-90% by mid-April because of a heat exchanger issue.
He said that Ichthys will perform scheduled maintenance from mid-August until October. Inpex intends to replace the heat exchanging unit during this time.
Yamada said that the production of Ichthys Liquefied Natural Gas this year will be similar to levels last year, but he didn't specify how many shipments would be exported.
Inpex Corp., the operator for Ichthys LNG said that at the end of April, the rate of production of the plant had temporarily decreased. The plant experienced a shutdown of its trains last year in July and august, as well a reduced rate of operation for heat exchanger inspections.
Ichthys LNG, a joint-venture between Inpex and TotalEnergies, is also a partnership with the Australian subsidiaries of CPC Corporation Taiwan (Osaka Gas), Kansai Electrical Power, JERA, and Toho Gas.
Two processing trains at the plant can produce up to 9 million metric tonnes of LNG each year.
(source: Reuters)
