The front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase will have a total cost $88 million and covers all activities required to move to the final investment decision, which is planned for Q2 2004.

Key contracts for the project include the Engineering, Procurement and Construction management (EPCm) services for the FPSO, which went to the Fluor/Amec Joint Venture, based in Perth.

South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries has secured a building slot for construction of the Floating Production, Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel and design of the Turret Mooring System Supply was awarded to the Swiss company, Single Buoy Moorings Inc.

A smaller contract was also awarded for design Verification Services to Lloyds Register of Shipping in Fremantle.

The Enfield oil field was discovered in 1999 and has reserves estimated at about 145 million barrels at the expectation level. The development is based on a 100,000 bopd capacity floating production, storage and offtake vessel. The facility will have capacity to tie-back other discoveries already made in the area once Enfield production starts to decline.

The general manager of the Enfield Area Development, Duncan Clegg, confirmed that the project remained on schedule for a FID in the second quarter of 2004.

"This is a major commitment towards the oil production at Enfield which will be a major contributor to Woodside's future growth. It positions the project to achieve first oil production by the second half of 2006," Clegg said.

The Enfield oil field is one of three discovered in permit WA-271-P. Woodside is 100% permit holder and operator.