Oil spill halts offshore Thailand drilling plans

Nov. 14, 2013
Salamander Energy is awaiting approval for its environmental impact assessment (EIA) application for new exploration drilling in the Gulf of Thailand.

Offshore staff

LONDONSalamander Energy is awaiting approval for its environmental impact assessment (EIA) application for new exploration drilling in the Gulf of Thailand.

This is due to a non-Salamander related oil spill in the north section of the Gulf of Thailand. All subsequent offshore EIA applications have been pushed back, with applicants asked to review oil spill response plans in light of the event.

The company intends to submit a revised application for theG4/50 license before year-end.

Elsewhere in the Gulf of Thailand, the company has raised its estimate of in-place oil at the offshoreBualuang field from 189 MMbbl to more than 250 MMbbl, based on a new appraisal of undeveloped resources.

A front-end engineering design is under way with a view of installing a third platform on the Bualuang field, with project sanction probable in mid-2014.

A cost-reduction initiative at Bualuang is on schedule, with the existing FPSO due to be replaced with an FSO next summer. Conversion of theNavion Clipper is currently 60% complete.

Associated processing and power modules are 87% complete and scheduled to be loaded out in December.

11/14/2013