Australian energy company Santos has confirmed the sale and export of the first condensate cargo from the Barossa gas project in the Timor Sea.

The maiden shipment was jointly marketed and loaded by Santos and PRISM Energy International Australia.

The Barossa project is located in Australian waters in the Bonaparte Basin around 285km north of Darwin.

The cargo, amounting to around 300,000 barrels (bbl) of condensate, was transported from the BW Opal floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel on 24 July.

Aframax tanker the Boccadesse is delivering the shipment to SK Incheon Petrochem in South Korea, where the condensate will serve as feedstock for the company’s refinery in Incheon.

The refinery is expected to use the condensate primarily in the production of naphtha and jet fuel.

This marks the first export of condensate from the Barossa gas project. The milestone follows the start of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production at the Darwin LNG plant, which is currently operating at 97% of its planned output.

LNG cargoes are being loaded from the plant approximately every eight days.

Santos operates the Barossa gas project and holds a 50% stake. PRISM Energy International Australia owns a 37.5% interest and JERA Australia holds the remaining 12.5%.

Santos managing director and CEO Kevin Gallagher said: “The Darwin LNG plant is now producing at 97% of planned rates, with LNG cargoes loading approximately every eight days and condensate now flowing to market. Australia is a trusted supplier of energy to key partner countries, and those same partners supply Australia with the refined fuels and energy products we rely on.

“South Korea is Australia’s second-largest supplier of refined liquid fuels and Santos is proud to actively support the energy security relationship between our two countries, supplying South Korea with both LNG and the condensate feedstock that South Korean refineries need to produce the jet fuel and diesel that the Australian economy relies upon.”

Santos expects the Darwin LNG facility to remain a long-term supplier of LNG and condensate to Asian markets.

It will contribute to investment, employment, regional business development, export income and government revenue in Australia and the Northern Territory.

Last month, Santos began continuous production operations at the Pikka phase one oil project on Alaska’s North Slope, with the initial production wells coming online.