PTTEP Aims to Operate Montara Field at 100% of Capacity by June

PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) confirmed Tuesday that it is aiming to start operations in the Montara field offshore Western Australia by end-March this year, with a ramp-up of production to 100 percent of capacity expected by end-June.

"Oil production from the Montara field will be in the range of 20,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) to 23,000 bopd this year," a spokesperson from PTTEP told Rigzone.

The Montara Development Project (MDP) started with the drilling of production wells in March 2008. The installation of the well head platform jacket and topsides was being completed in August 2009. On Aug. 21, 2009, while drilling completion activities were underway, there was an uncontrolled release of gas, oil, condensate and water vapour from the H1 well.

A relief well successfully intersected the H1 well and briefly stopped the well release before the well fluids caught fire Nov. 1, 2009. The well release was stopped and the fire extinguished Nov. 3, 2009.

PTTEP started on replacement works on the project during end-2011 and early-2012. Three production wells and one gas injection well sited in the Montara field were also tied back and completed during the same period. Field development has since been continuing and has included the arrival on site of the Montara Venture floating production storage and offloading facility.

PTTEP noted Feb.1 that it is targeting a sales volume of 310,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) for this year, with the bulk of its increased oil sales to be derived from the start of commercial operations at the Montara field. PTTEP's sales volume for 2012 was at 275,923 barrels of oil equivalent. The spokesperson disclosed that PTTEP has already inked sales contracts based on its projected 2013 production from the Montara field.

The MDP, at its maximum level, can produce 35,000 bopd.

Quintella has reported on the upstream and downstream oil and petrochemicals markets from 2004. Email Quintella at quintella.koh@rigzone.com.

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