HNZ Group Inc. and PHI Inc. are set to provide up to four Sikorsky S-92s for the Ichthys LNG Project for offshore oil and gas, said HNZ. The two operators have entered into a joint venture on a contract that is planned to start by April 2017 with two, two-year option periods.

The aircraft are to be supplied by PHI, but the two companies hold the venture equally. They plan to also provide personnel, equipment and support for flight operations, maintenance and administration to the project through the agreement, working alongside its current aviation provider. PHI’s aircraft would support installation, hook up, commissioning and production at the offshore facilities.

Ichthys Project is led by Japanese oil and gas exploration and production company INPEX and is taking place on offshore Western Australia. It is the largest discovery of hydrocarbon liquids in Australia in 40 years, INPEX said. The Sikorsky S-92s would be based out of Broome.