Jabiru Oil Output To Increase By 55pc

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday April 7, 1988

By BARRY FitzGERALD, in Melbourne

Production from the BHP Petroleum-managed Jabiru oilfield in the Timor Sea is set to rise by 55 per cent to 45,000 barrels a day (16.4 million barrels a year) from the end of May.

At the higher rate, made possible by the completion of the Jabiru 6 and 7 wells, output from the field will represent about 10 per cent of Bass Strait's daily output.

But before the two wells can be brought into production the Jabiru field will have to be shut-in for a month so modifications can be made to the Jabiru Venture, the oilfield's unique floating production facility.

The Jabiru Venture sails to Singapore for the modifications on April 13 and is expected back on the oilfield on May 13. Towards the end of May the four producing wells now on the field - Jabiru 1A, 2, 6 and 7 - will be joined to the production facility.

Jabiru 1A and 2 are producing oil at a daily rate of 29,000 barrels. With Jabiru 6 and 7 onstream, the daily output is expected to climb to between 40,000 barrels and 50,000 barrels.

The partners in the Jabiru field are BHP (50 per cent), Citco (18.75 per cent), Norcen (12.5 per cent), Peko Oil (10.31 per cent), Ampol Exploration(6.25 per cent), Brenda Mines (1.09 per cent) and Norpac (1.09 per cent).

Meanwhile, BHP is to step up its drilling activity in the Timor Sea with the arrival from the US in mid-June of the semi-submersible drilling rig Diamond M General.

The rig will be the third BHP and its partners have working in the Timor Sea. It is contracted to drill three wells, after which a further five could be drilled.

The general manager of BHP Petroleum's Timor Sea program, Mr Bob Boyson, yesterday said the third rig would provide the group and its partners with more flexibility in the exploration-appraisal program.

"It will allow us to have two rigs actively drilling exploration prospects, while the third will be available to carry out appraisal drilling on any discovery," he said.

The other two rigs being used by BHP Petroleum and its partners in the Timor Sea are completing Jabiru 6 and drilling the Montara 1 well in permit AC/P7.

BHP Petroleum said that Montara 1 was preparing to drill ahead after casing had been set at 2,416 metres. Partners in the well are BHP (40 per cent), Conoco (40 per cent) and Inpex Ashmore (20 per cent).

One of the next wells to be drilled on the Jabiru licence area is Pengana 1. The well will test for a northern extension of the Jabiru field, as did Jabiru 7, with success.

© 1988 Sydney Morning Herald

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