Sparrows Group secures Ichthys LNG contract

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Sparrows Group secures Ichthys LNG contract

Sparrows Group has secured a three year contract to deliver fixed crane maintenance and lifting and rigging services for the INPEX-operated Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Australia.

The agreement is the latest in a series of significant business wins for Sparrows and will see the company’s teams in Perth and Darwin, Australia, support activities across the state of the art Ichthys onshore LNG facility at Bladin Point, the offshore central processing facility Ichthys Explorer and the Ichthys Venturer FPSO.

The scope encompasses maintenance, servicing and inspection of lifting equipment and cranes, the supply of lifting equipment, spare parts and materials; and technical and engineering support.

Stewart Mitchell, chief executive officer of Sparrows, said: “We have experienced a very positive first quarter, securing a number of contracts for high-profile, large-scale projects in the onshore, offshore and renewables sectors around the globe.

“The Ichthys LNG Project incorporates some of the world’s biggest and most advanced offshore facilities off the Western Australian coast and massive onshore processing facilities in the Northern Territory. We are extremely proud to be awarded this work.”

Located approximately 220 kilometres offshore Western Australia, the Ichthys Field represents the largest discovery of hydrocarbon liquids in Australia in more than 40 years. The Ichthys LNG Project is currently in construction and is ranked among the most significant oil and gas projects in the world.

Ichthys is expected to produce 8.9 million tonnes of LNG and 1.6 million tonnes of LPG per annum, in addition to more than 100,000 barrels of condensate per day at peak.

Sparrows announced last month that it had secured a five-year deal with Maersk Oil UK for the supply of hydraulic, lifting and rigging services. Since the start of the year the Group has also won the contract to provide services for ScottishPower Renewables’s East Anglia ONE offshore wind farm, announced a three-year deal to provide crane management services at the Kraken field, East of Sheltand; and renewed a mechanical handling and crane management pact with BP for an initial five years.

The value of the Ichthys contract, which is for three years plus two one year options, was not disclosed.

Source: www.sparrowsgroup.com

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.