Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) has made another offshore gas discovery in the Balingian Province, some 230 kilometres off the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia.
PTTEP said on Wednesday that the discovery was made via the Kulintang-1 exploration well in the shallow waters of Block SK438.
The Kulintang-1 well was successfully drilled to a total depth of 2,238 metres in April 2021. The well encountered gas in the Oligocene to Middle Miocene sandstone reservoirs, which has not been fully evaluated before. PTTEP expects to drill another exploration well in this block in the second quarter of 2021.
As for Block SK438, PTTEP holds an 80 per cent participating interest, while Petronas Carigali holds the remaining 20 per cent. The block’s production sharing contract was awarded in March 2018 following the Malaysia Bid Round 2017.
It is adjacent to Blocks SK405, SK309 & SK311, SK314A, all of which are operated by PTTEP, with existing facilities nearby. The location, according to the company, provides an advantage for future development including the potential for cluster development.
Phongsthorn Thavisin , PTTEP CEO, said: “ The Kulintang-1 well adds to the consecutive discoveries PTTEP has made this year which demonstrate our significant exploration progress in Malaysia.
“ The discovery highlights our strong partnership with Petronas and continuous efforts in applying new techniques and interpretation to identify opportunities in mature areas. We are determined to explore further and make more oil and gas discoveries in Malaysia to serve future energy demand ”.
Petronas senior vice president of Malaysia petroleum management Mohamed Firouz Asnan added: “ The success of Kulintang-1 well marks the second gas discovery within the Balingian Province this year. This encouraging result proves further potential of sweet gas in the province, especially in the deeper Oligocene play .
“ The Kulintang sweet gas discovery can be monetised through existing infrastructure towards fulfilling the demand of the domestic gas customers as well as Petronas LNG Complex in Bintulu, Sarawak ”.
In March this year, PTTEP and Petronas announced a new oil and gas discovery in the Sirung-1 wildcat exploration well in Block SK405B , also in the Balingian Province.
Apart from the Block SK438, there are also Blocks SK405B, SK410B, SK314A, SK417, PM407, and PM415, all still in the exploration stage.
Major projects in PTTEP’s portfolio in Malaysia include the producing assets in Blocks K, SK309, SK311, the Rotan-Buluh field in Block H and the jointly operated gas fields with Petronas Carigali in the Malaysia–Thailand joint development area. PTTEP is also a joint investor in the MLNG Train 9 Project, an LNG liquefaction plant in Sarawak.
It is worth reminding that Petronas is offering opportunities in 13 new offshore exploration blocks in Malaysia’s prolific basins in the Malaysia Bid Round 2021, including a few blocks within Balingian.