Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit
Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN18 May 2012
Groundbreaking Ceremony of the LNG plant of Ichthys LNG Project

Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. Julia Gillard, MP, officially launched construction of theIchthys LNG Project at a ground breaking ceremony at Blaydin Point in Darwin, Northern
Territory today.
At the invitation of INPEX CORPORATION Chairman Naoki Kuroda, the Prime Ministerjoined Northern Territory Chief Minister, the Hon. MLA Paul Henderson, MLA, and Total E&P
Australia Managing Director Mike Sangster to signal the commencement of site works forAustralia’s newest LNG project.

INPEX Chairman Naoki Kuroda
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson
TOTAL E&P Australia Managing Director Mike Sangster

Senior Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry,
Japan, Mitsuyoshi Yanagisawa

Mr Kuroda said the start of construction of the Ichthys LNG Project was a special occasion
for everyone who had worked so hard to reach this historic milestone for what will be one of
the largest LNG projects in the world.
“This is an important day for the people of the Northern Territory and Australia as the Ichthys
LNG Project will deliver substantial social and economic development for decades to come,”
Mr Kuroda said.

Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit
Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN“But it is also a vitally significant day for the people of Japan. The Ichthys LNG Project will
help secure the long-term supply of cleaner energy to millions of homes and businesses
across Japan.
“The Ichthys LNG Project will strengthen the ties between Australia and Japan, while
securing Darwin’s place as an emerging hub of oil and gas activity in the region.”
Mr Kuroda said the Ichthys LNG Project would be a major part of the Australian economy
well into the second half of the 21st century.
Mr Kuroda said businesses in the Territory had already won more than $700 million inconstruction contracts with the Project in Darwin, while Australian companies were set tobenefit from billions of dollars in contracts during the five year construction phase.
Approximately 4,000 people will be required in Darwin at the peak of onshore constructionahead of first gas at the end of 2016. A full-time workforce of 300 people would operate andmaintain the gas plant over the 40-year life of the Project, with a further 400 supporting theoperations of the offshore facilities.
The Ichthys LNG Project would also help Australia achieve its goal of becoming the world’s
number one LNG exporter by 2020.

Ichthys LNG Plant, Darwin (image)Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit
Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN

About INPEX
INPEX CORPORATION is a worldwide oil and gas exploration and production company
currently involved in 73 projects across 26 countries. INPEX is ranked in the Top 50 global
petroleum companies and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. INPEX has been a part of
the Australian business community since 1988 and is involved in a number of projects inAustralia and the Timor Sea, including the Ichthys Project, Griffin Fields Project and Darwin
LNG.
About the Ichthys Project
The Ichthys Project is a Joint Venture between INPEX Browse Ltd (76%, the Operator) andTotal E&P Australia (24%). Gas from the Ichthys Field, in the Browse Basin offshore ofWestern Australia, will undergo preliminary processing offshore to remove water and rawliquids, including condensate. The gas will then be exported to the onshore processing
facilities in Darwin via an 850km subsea pipeline. The Ichthys Project is expected to produce
more than 8 million tonnes of LNG, approximately 1.6 million tonnes of LPG per annum and
100,000 barrels of condensate per day.
Media Contact: INPEX Tokyo Office, Public Relations Group, Tel) +81-3-5572-0233