Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, an ExxonMobil subsidiary, has awarded the key engineering contracts for the construction and development of the Kipper Gas Project in Bass Strait off SE Australia. Construction is expected to commence from the second half of 2008 and as such first gas delivery is expected to SE Australia in 2011. The Kipper field will be developed by the installation of a number of subsea wells, piped back to existing infrastructure at Longford. The contracts awarded include the supply of subsea equipment and facilities and their subsequent installation. The Kipper resource holds approximately 620bcf of recoverable gas and 30 million barrels of condensate/LPG and is located in 100m of water, approximately 45km from Ninety Mile Beach on the Gippsland coast of Victoria. The Kipper Gas Project joint venture includes Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, operator with 32.5%, BHP Billiton with 32.5%, and Santos Ltd with 35%.