PTTEP completes first wellhead platform relocation offshore Thailand

Reusing a retired platform cut development time by more than a year while reducing costs and emissions.
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Aug. 3, 2026
2 min read
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Why this news matters:

  • The project demonstrates how operators can reduce offshore development costs and accelerate production by reusing existing infrastructure rather than building new facilities. 

  • PTTEP's plan to reuse 10 additional platforms suggests the approach could become a repeatable model for managing aging offshore assets across the Gulf of Thailand.

 

Courtesy PTTEP
PTTEP marks Thailand’s first Total Wellhead Platform Reuse

PTTEP reported that it has achieved Thailand’s first “Total Wellhead Platform Reuse” by redeploying an entire decommissioned petroleum wellhead platform as a complete structure.

PTTEP has completed the first relocation and reuse of a decommissioned petroleum wellhead platform in Thailand's offshore industry, redeploying the Jakrawan K facility within its G1/61 gas development in the Gulf of Thailand. 

The Jakrawan K wellhead platform, previously serving the Funan Field, has been transferred and reinstalled at another location within the development area and is now in operation. 

PTTEP's campaign involved relocating and reinstalling the platform's topside, jacket and selected pile sections, with the entire construction and installation program completed in about six months. By comparison, development of a new wellhead platform would have required roughly 20 months, according to the company. 

The company estimated that reusing the facility reduced construction costs by 35% to 50% compared with building an entirely new platform. 

"In petroleum production, when resources in the field are depleted, wellhead platforms that remain structurally sound and safe can be reused to maximize their value and extend their utilization," said PTTEP CEO Montri Rawanchaikul. 

Courtesy PTTEP
PTTEP marks Thailand’s first Total Wellhead Platform Reuse

PTTEP said it adopted a wet tow method to relocate the jacket, "helping curb energy consumption and minimize impacts on marine life attached to the platform structure."

Beyond the cost and schedule benefits, PTTEP said reuse of the platform is expected to avoid about 3,270 mt of CO2e emissions by reducing the need for new steel and equipment. The company also employed a wet-tow method to relocate the jacket, lowering energy consumption and minimizing impacts on marine life attached to the structure.

PTTEP plans to expand the initiative between 2027 and 2029 through the reuse of about 10 additional wellhead platforms that pass structural integrity and safety assessments. 

The company is also pursuing alternative end-of-life uses for offshore infrastructure. Under a memorandum of agreement with Thailand's Department of Fisheries and Department of Mineral Fuels, PTTEP reported that it intends to convert retired wellhead platform jackets into artificial reefs in the Gulf of Thailand. Installation of the first nine repurposed jackets is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter.

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About the Author

Jeremy Beckman
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Jeremy Beckman

Staff Writer / Editor, Europe

Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.

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