Two offshore contracts for the "front-end engineering and design phase" of the company's ongoing Wheatstone gas project have been awarded by Chevron to Intecsea and Technip Oceania. The gas project is being undertaken on the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

While Intecsea will undertake designing of the subsea gas gathering facilities and the pipelines, Technip Oceania will oversee the planning of a production plant.

''The awarding of the contracts is another step towards finalizing the scope of the Wheatstone project", shared Chevron Asia Pacific head of exploration and production Jim Blackwell.

The finical terms of the contracts have not been disclosed by either of the parties involved.

According to the company, the "front-end engineering and design phase", the responsibilities of which have now been awarded, is well on its way to be completed much before its planned deadline.

The project, which is expected to be completed by 2011, is being headed by Chevon in totality.