Valaris rig heading to Kupe drilling location offshore New Zealand

July 26, 2023
A Valaris jackup should mobilize shortly to the location for the new Kupe South 9 development well in the Taranaki Basin offshore New Zealand, Beach Energy revealed in its latest results overview.

Offshore staff

ADELAIDE, Australia – The Valaris 107 jackup should mobilize shortly to the location for the new Kupe South 9 development well in the Taranaki Basin offshore New Zealand, Beach Energy revealed in its latest results overview.

The targeted spud date is late first-quarter 2024. If successful, the well should increase supplies substantially to the onshore Kupe Gas Plant, with first gas expected in third-quarter 2024.

In the Otway Basin offshore southeast Australia, four of the six Otway development wells drilled last year are now connected to the Otway Gas Plant.

Analysis is underway of a hydro-pressure test failure that occurred in April during testing of one of the flowlines for connecting the final two development wells, Thylacine West 1 and 2. Beach Energy aims to resume connection in the first half of 2025, subject to securing a vessel.

Deferred production from these wells will be part mitigated through connection of the Enterprise discovery in mid-2024 using spare capacity at the Otway Gas Plant.

Beach Energy is part of a consortium that secured the Transocean Equinox rig for a drilling program in 2025 and potentially beyond. The company’s planned activity includes development of the Artisan and La Bella discoveries, exploration drilling and well abandonment.

In the nearby offshore Bass Basin, interpretation continues of the Prion 3D seismic survey acquired over the White Ibis, Bass and Trefoil discoveries, with development options under assessment in parallel.

07.26.2023