Offshore staff
MELBOURNE, Australia -- The Longtom-4 development well in production license VIC/L29 in the Gippsland basin, offshore Victoria, has reached a total depth of 4,648 m (15,249 ft) measured depth below the rotary table in the 9.5-in. (24-cm) horizontal hole, according to Nexus Energy.
The jackup West Triton drilled the well through a total of 760 m (2,493 ft) of gas sands. According to the company, Longtom-4 has comfortably met pre-drill expectations as it has intersected the anticipated intervals of the two deepest sands with better than expected reservoir quality. These sands are interpreted to contain the major portion of gas reserves in this part of the field.
Nexus plans to set a 7-in. (18-cm) liner along the length of the well and then complete a comprehensive production test. The well will then be suspended as a future gas producer, awaiting connection to the pipeline later this year.
Longtom-4 is the second development well for the Longtom gas project. Timing of a planned third development well will depend on the results of Longtom-4 and the field's production performance over time. The current plan assumes this well will be drilled two to three years after project start-up, the company says.
Gas produced from the Longtom wells will enter a new 12-in. (30-cm) pipeline and will be transported from the field to the end of Santos' existing Patricia-Baleen pipeline, 19 km (12 mi) away. Nexus will construct this pipeline and the associated control lines and equipment with a pipelay barge contracted and set to mobilize from Singapore by the end of the third quarter. The raw gas will then continue along the Patricia-Baleen pipeline to shore where it will be processed at Santos' existing onshore gas plant.
08/12/2008
