The upstream (offshore) portion of the project comprises development of gas fields in the WA-17-R and WA-253-P petroleum titles located on the Northwest Shelf offshore Western Australia at water depths of 70 to 200 meters.

Subsea gas gathering systems will transport production to the processing platform where the gas and condensate will be respectively dehydrated, dewatered, compressed and exported through a 200 kilometers export pipeline to the onshore gas plant located at Ashburton North, 12 kilometers west of Onslow, on the Pilbara coast of mainland Western Australia.

Technip’s operating centers in Perth, Kuala Lumpur, Houston and Paris will participate in the execution of the contract, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010. The work involves selection of the optimum offshore configuration and development of the full FEED for the selected concept, including flow assurance of the associated flowlines and pipelines.

Technip’s expertise in the construction and installation of heavy topsides in offshore environments is suited to the Wheatstone project, given the size and weight of the platform topsides and the seasonal weather constraints in the region, the company said.