Japanese firm Inpex is denying a news report it has made a final decision to go ahead with a giant gas plant in Darwin.
Inpex, which is lead partner in the proposed $US32.5 billion ($31.5 billion) Ichthys gas project, has yet to make any announcement to the Tokyo Stock Exchange that a final investment decision (FID) has been made.
On Thursday, the NT News said the project was a "done deal" and an official announcement would be made within the next few weeks.
It said Inpex executives would line up alongside NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson in Parliament House to announce the move.
But a company spokesman for Inpex said no decision had been reached yet.
He said the company's half year results were due out on Friday, with an investor conference planned for Monday next week.
"Reference to FID will be made in the context of the end-of-the-year in 2011," the spokesman said.
He said that, as previously flagged, the company was running on schedule to make a FID decision this quarter and there were no roadblocks or impediments.
The project has been described as a "game-changer" for Darwin and will require thousands of workers during construction.
French joint-venture partner Total, that has a 24 per cent stake in the project, on Wednesday issued its third quarter results to the New York Stock Exchange.
In its results, Total said it expected to launch the Ichthys project in Australia in coming months, pending partner approvals.
A spokesman for Mr Henderson said no final decision had been made.
"We expect it, as said by the company, in the last quarter of this year," he said.
