PD CEO Stephen Harris called the new agreement a "significant development" in its execution of life asset solutions.

"Our regional presence near major oil and gas and mining projects in the Northern Territory will reduce costs and lead time for delivering hydraulic and electromechanical equipment services for our customers in the region," Harris said.

PD chairman Tony Adcock anticipates that this regional operation would position the company to service clients across not only northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and Southeast Asia more broadly.

One of PD's project managers, Jamie Wilson, is relocating to Darwin to lead the company's permanent presence and services execution in the Top End.

Harris told Energy News that while oil and gas comprises 95% of PD's business, there was still more brownfield maintenance opportunities to be had with Downer EDI, ConocoPhillips' new EPC contractor after the US oiler recently bumped Monadelphous, and Ichthys, which doesn't have a maintenance EPC contractor yet.

"Historically ConocoPhillips have spoken to a second train for that plant - not that they would do so in this environment," Harris said.

"But between backfill and keeping that existing plant operational, given our focus is on brownfields engineering and optimisation of existing facilities it's going to be those kind of opportunities that we will target."

PD typically focuses on emergency shutdown systems through to the loading arm facilities and more broadly into general hydraulic services which can be cranes, winches and all sorts of auxiliary equipment both on and offshore.

It will be this work which PD targets for Ichthys, though both Inpex and ConocoPhillips are still months away from awarding such maintenance contracts.

Harris also sees opportunity in Jemena's Northern Gas Pipeline, though where the gas will come from the fill it is anyone's guess now that the new NT government has just slapped a fraccing ban which could become permanent.