Offshore staff

NEW YORK -- Natural gas sales have begun from the Phase 2 development of block A-18 in the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area (JDA), in the Gulf of Thailand, according to Hess Corp. Petronas Carigali and Hess Corp. each have a 50% working interest in block A-18.

The JDA facilities have produced at an average gross rate of 780 MMcf/d since Phase 2 gas sales began, the company says. This volume compares to an average gross rate of 457 MMcf/d in 2008, prior to the Phase 2 start up. The completion of the Phase 2 project increased the gross capacity of the JDA complex to approximately 900 MMcf/d of gas.

JDA Phase 2 gas sales are exported through the buyer's newly commissioned 42-in. (107-cm) pipeline, which runs north from block A-18 to the Bangkok market. Phase 1 sales volumes, which began in the 1Q 2005, are exported via an existing 34-in. (86-cm) pipeline running west to southern Thailand and continuing south to the Peninsular Malaysia market.

12/04/2008