ConocoPhillips has completed drilling an appraisal well at the Barossa project offshore Australia, and is set to move the rig to start drilling the second well.
This was revealed by Santos, ConocoPhillips’ partner in the Barossa Caldita offshore projects, located in the Timor Sea, in Australia’s Bonaparte Basin, approximately 160 miles north-northwest of Darwin.
The wells at the Barossa field are being drilled to test backfill viability for Darwin LNG plant. The two-well appraisal campaign began on the Barossa field during in January, 2017, using the Atwood Osprey semi-submersible drilling rig.
“The first well, Barossa-5, was successfully completed and analysis is ongoing. The well is currently being plugged and abandoned as planned and once complete, the rig will move across to the second well, Barossa-6,“ Santos said on Thursday.
Back in February, Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher said the final investment decision for the project development could be made in late 2018 or early 2019.
Santos holds a 25% interest in the Barossa-Caldita joint venture along with partners ConocoPhillips (37.5% and operator) and SK E&S (37.5%).
Background
ConocoPhillips’ NT/RL6 and NT/RL5 permits offshore Northern Territory in the Timor Sea contain Caldita and Barossa discoveries.
The Caldita-1 discovery well in NT/ RL6 was drilled in 2005, and the Barossa-1 discovery well in NT/RL5 in 2006. A three-well appraisal program to further evaluate the fields’ potential was completed in March 2015. The first two wells, Barossa-2 and Barossa-3 both encountered hydrocarbons. The final well, Barossa-4, was not commercially viable.In 2016, the company completed a seismic acquisition program and seismic reprocessing, and decided to move ahead with drilling of the next appraisal wells, Barossa-5, and Barossa- 6.
Offshore Energy Today Staff