INPEX : Begins Natural Gas Supply to the Hokuriku Factory of Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. through Natural Gas Trunk Pipeline (Toyama Line) in Japan (PDF 174KB)

Public Relations Group, Corporate Communications Unit

Akasaka Biz Tower, 5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6332 JAPAN

January 4, 2017

INPEX Begins Natural Gas Supply to the Hokuriku Factory of Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. through Natural Gas Trunk Pipeline (Toyama Line) in Japan

TOKYO, JAPAN - INPEX CORPORATION (INPEX) announced today that it has begun supplying natural gas to the Hokuriku Factory of Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd. (Asahi Soft Drinks) through the Toyama Line extension of its natural gas trunk pipeline network that travels from Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture to Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture in Japan.

The Hokuriku Factory of Asahi Soft Drinks, which mainly manufactures "WONDA" brand canned coffee beverages, is located at a distance of approximately 400m from Nyuzen Valve Station on the Toyama Line, which INPEX made fully operational in October 2016.

INPEX has begun supplying natural gas including regasified LNG from Naoetsu LNG Terminal in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, based on a natural gas sales and purchase agreement signed between INPEX and Asahi Soft Drinks in November 2016. The Hokuriku Factory of Asahi Soft Drinks is the third customer along the Toyama Line to which INPEX supplies natural gas.

The agreement provides the Hokuriku Factory of Asahi Soft Drinks with access to an efficient, long-term and stable supply of natural gas and will help it to reduce annual CO2 emissions by roughly 14 percent through the conversion of its fuel source from LPG to natural gas. This is expected to contribute to the reduction of its environmental footprint.

INPEX is committed to helping support economic development and reduce carbon footprint through promoting the widespread use of natural gas, the cleanest-burning fossil fuel. The company will also continue to proactively strengthen its gas supply chain, one of the growth targets outlined in its Medium- to Long-Term Vision, making every effort to supply natural gas in a safe and stable manner to its customers.

About INPEX

INPEX CORPORATION is Japan's largest exploration and production (E&P) company, and a mid-tier E&P player just behind the world's oil majors. INPEX is currently involved in approximately 70 projects across more than 20 countries, including the Ichthys LNG Project in Australia as Operator. Through sustainably growing its oil and gas development business, INPEX aims to become a top class international oil and gas E&P Company and continue

providing a stable and efficient supply of energy to its customers. For more information, visit www.inpex.co.jp/english/index.html.

Media Contact: INPEX Tokyo Office, Public Relations Group, Tel) [phone]

REFERENCE

Location of the Hokuriku factory of Asahi Soft Drinks