Offshore staff

PERTH, Australia – Woodside Petroleum says production has started through the FPSO at the heart of the North West Shelf oil redevelopment project.

The converted floater Okha, formerly an FSO working offshore Sakhalin Island, is stationed 135 km (83.8 mi) northwest of Karratha, Western Australia.

Hook-up, testing and commissioning of the facility has been completed. The Okha should build toward a stabilized rate of around 30,000 b/d toward end-October 2011. First offtake is scheduled for November.

The project, which incurred an investment of around $1.75 billion, also involved replacement of associated subsea infrastructure.

Proved plus probable reserves from the Cossack Wanaea Lambert and Hermes (CWLH) serving the project were estimated at 88.2 MMbbl of oil as of end-December 2010.

The CWLH partners are Woodside Energy (operator); BHP Billiton Petroleum (North West Shelf); BP Developments Australia; Chevron Australia; and Japan Australia LNG (MIMI).

09/26/2011