Murphy Oil has spud the Lac Da Trang (White Camel) North-1X exploration well in Block 15-1/051 offshore southern Vietnam, according to the company’s latest quarterly report.
A commercial discovery at Lac Da Trang could leverage recently installed Lac Da Vang infrastructure, potentially lowering development costs and shortening time to first production compared with a standalone project.
The company is targeting recoverable resources in the range 40 MMbbl to 80 MMbbl, which could be developed in the future as a tie-in to its current Lac Da Vang (Golden Camel) development.
Here, the subsea pipeline system and platform topsides have recently been installed and the floating storage and offloading vessel mobilized to the field location.
Drilling and completions operations continue on the first set of wells, with the project on track for first oil during the fourth quarter.
Murphy operates Block 15-1/05 with a 40% interest, alongside partners PetroVietnam Exploration Production (35%) and SK Earthon (25%).
Lac Da Vang project snapshot
Block 15-1/05 is located in Vietnam's offshore Cuu Long Basin, about 120 km east of Vung Tau, a mature producing area that hosts the Lac Da Vang development and several surrounding exploration prospects.
Murphy sanctioned the Lac Da Vang development in 2023 based on estimated gross recoverable resources of about 100 MMboe.
Murphy expects Lac Da Vang to produce 30,000 boe/d to 40,000 boe/d at peak rates following startup. The development is expected to involve approximately eight wells.
Crude from the field will be stored and offloaded through the FSO PTSC LDV, which is being supplied by PTSC Asia Pacific and is designed with storage capacity exceeding 500,000 bbl.
At Murphy's 40% working interest, peak net production would equate to roughly 12,000 boe/d to 16,000 boe/d.
Hai Su Vang appraisal results mixed
Beyond Lac Da Trang and Lac Da Vang, Murphy continues to mature additional discoveries offshore Vietnam that could support future area development.
Murphy has also completed appraisal drilling on its Hai Su Vang (Golden Sea Lion) discovery. Analysis of the Hai Su Vang-2X appraisal well was promising, the company reported, but while the subsequent Hai Su Vang-3X encountered hydrocarbons, Hai Su Vang-4X was a dry hole.
Murphy's updated estimate places recoverable resources at 200 MMboe to 300 MMboe, below earlier expectations. However, Murphy says it still sees Hai Su Vang as a potential hub for other discoveries that may follow in the future, and it aims to take FID on the project late in 2027.
