GLOBAL E&P
Middle East
Noble Energy has submitted an initial-phase development plan for
the giant Leviathan gas feld in the offshore Levantine basin to Israel’s
Ministry of Energy and Water Resources. This is based around a 1. 6
bcf/d ( 45 bcm/d) FPSO, with gas sales due to start in early 2018.
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ADNOC has produced frst oil from the offshore Umm Lulu feld
30 km (18.6 mi) northwest of Abu Dhabi, according to partner IN-
PEX. The frst-phase development involves use of existing facilities
for the adjacent Umm Al-Dakh oil feld, with oil transported through
a subsea pipeline to Zirku Island. Once development is complete,
Umm Lulu will deliver 105,000 b/d at peak.
ADMA-OPCO has contracted Atkins to provide structural analysis
of existing production infrastructure in connection with a planned
expansion program. Atkins’ brief includes assessing 31 wellhead
towers on Abu Dhabi’s offshore Umm Shaif feld.
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Dubai Petroleum Establishment (DPE) has discovered poten-
tially large volumes of gas with the HP/HT T-02 well on the Fatah
feld offshore Dubai. This was drilled to a depth of 18,248 ft ( 5,562
m) in the pre-Khuff formation, the deepest of any well to date in
Dubai. DPE has suspended the well for a future re-entry, to include
production testing.
East Africa
Statoil and ExxonMobil have proven a westward extension of
the gas play in block 2 offshore Tanzania. The Discoverer Americas
drilled the Giligiliani- 1 well in 500 m ( 1,640 ft) of water, encountering
gas in Upper Cretaceous sandstones. This was the seventh fnd on
the block, lifting estimated in-place volumes to around 21 tcf (595
bcm). The rig was due to transfer to the
central part of the block to drill the Kun-gamanga prospect.
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KBR and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Ma-
rine Engineering have started a front-
end engineering and design study for
an FLNG vessel for Eni’s proposed ultra-
deepwater Coral South gas development
offshore Mozambique. The study covers
the topsides, hull, and marine system of
the turret-moored vessel. KBR/DSME
are also one of three consortia bidding
to build and install the vessel.
India
ONGC has awarded a $215-million
contract to Valentine Maritime and Supreme Offshore Construction & Technical Services for the Mumbai High
North redevelopment Phase III pipeline
project in the Arabian Sea, 165 km (102
mi) northwest of Mumbai. The duo will
fabricate and lay 171 km (106 mi) of
pipelines and will also modify 12 existing
platforms. The work is expected to be
completed by April 2016.
Asia/Pacifc
Thailand’s government plans to offer
six blocks in the Gulf of Thailand under
its latest bid round in February 2015, according to reports. Also in
this region, KrisEnergy has chartered the FSO Rubicon Vantage and
a CALM buoy for its Wassana oil development in the G10/48 license,
which it plans to bring onstream during 2Q 2015.
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CNOOC is claiming a potentially large shallow-water oil fnd in
Bohai Bay offshore China. The well on the Jinzhou 23-2 structure
in the northern part of the Liaodong Uplift encountered oil and gas
pay zones with total thickness of 68. 4 m (224 ft), and fowed 260 b/d
on test. In deeper water in the Pearl River Mouth basin of the South
China Sea, the company has brought onstream the Enping 24-2 oil
feld. Facilities include a drilling and production platform, an FPSO,
and 17 production wells. By 2017 output should peak at 40,000 b/d.
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Eni has proved gas in the deepwater Merakes prospect offshore
East Kalimantan (Borneo). The Merakes- 1 well was the frst on the
East Seppingan block, which the company secured under Indo-
nesia’s 2012 bid round. It intersected a 60-m (197-ft) hydrocarbon
column within a lower Pliocene clastics sequence. The location is
in 1,372 m ( 4,501 ft) of water, 35 km ( 22 mi) from Eni’s offshore
Jangkrik feld and 170 km (106 mi) south of the Bontang LNG plant.
Ophir Energy has an agreement with Niko Resources to acquire
stakes in seven deepwater PSCs off Indonesia, six of which it will
operate. They are spread over proven and frontier oil and gas plays.
Ophir expects to start drilling in 2016.
Petronas subsidiary PC Ketapang II has contracted McDermott
to transport and install the BTJT jacket and topsides to the Bukit
Tua feld development, 21 mi ( 34 mi) from Madura Island off East
Java. McDermott expected its Batam Island yard to complete construction of the 1,212-ton jacket last month. The DB3O barge will
perform the installations in 190 ft ( 58 m)
of water, with all offshore work due to be
completed by the end of 1Q 2015.
Australia
Statoil has secured the deepwater WA-
506-P exploration permit in the Northern
Carnarvon basin on Australia’s North West
Shelf. The concession was awarded under
the 2013 Offshore Petroleum Exploration
Acreage Release. It extends more than
13,000 sq km ( 5,019 sq mi) in an untested
part of the basin, 300 km (186 mi) from the
coast in 1,500-2,000 m ( 4,921-6,562 ft) of
water. Statoil’s initial commitments include
2D and 3D seismic acquisition.
Apache says the FPSO for its Balnaves
oil feld in the same basin, 190 km (112 mi)
northwest of Damper, came onstream during 3Q.
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Offshore southeast Australia, Lakes
Oil has been awarded two new six-year
exploration permits in the Gippsland
basin. Carnarvon Hibiscus plans to drill
two wells in its VIC/P57 permit using
the Seadrill jackup West Telesto, probably
starting in 2Q 2015 with a well on the
Sea Lion prospect. A successful outcome
could lead to a tieback to the company’s
West Seahorse development. •
Statoil’s new deepwater permit in the Northern Carnarvon
basin. (Map courtesy Statoil)
