David Paganie
Senior Editor
The A$280-million dollar Basker-Manta project solicited a highly advanced, and very unique concept for field development. It incorporates subsea production tied back to an FPSO stationed in DP-mode, with export via flowline to a disconnectable single point mooring system for a shuttle tanker, which also has DP capability. The FPSO is being used in DP-mode for extended well testing and full field development operations - a solution not often used in the industry.
(Above) Crystal Production’s DP FPSOCrystal Ocean. (Left) Teekay Shipping’s DP shuttle tanker Basker Spirit. (Below) Diamond Offshore’s semisubmersible drilling rig Ocean Patriot.
The Basker-Manta project is also a good example of an innovative approach used to fast-track production, while considering the safety of the offshore personnel through integration of a disconnectable production facility.
The Basker-Manta project is lead by the Basker-Manta Joint Venture (BM JV), comprising Anzon Australia Ltd. (operator) and Beach Petroleum Ltd.
The project includes development of the Basker, Manta and Gummy fields located in the Bass Strait of the Gippsland Basin in approximately 155 m of water, about 75 km from Victoria. The fields are situated in Victorian Retention Leases VIC/RL 9 and 10 with the oil development in the recently awarded License Area VIC/L26.
The field development solution includes an FPSO, which is the first of its kind installed since development operations began in the area in the mid-1960s. The project’s shuttle is also unique as it is one of the largest in Australian waters.
The FPSOCrystal Ocean will incorporate a dynamic positioning system with triple redundancy computers and bow, stern and central thrusters, which maintain the vessel’s geographic position over the production wells. The FPSO has a firm contract with the BM JV through Jan. 15, 2008 with an option for a total of three extensions for an additional four years. The contract is structured a Bareboat Charter with manning provided by Upstream Petroleum Pty Ltd. with assistance from Seatankers Management Co. Ltd.
The subsea wells will be connected to the vessel from the seafloor 155 m below the vessel via flexible composite steel flowlines and control umbilicals to a disconnectable turret-mooring buoy. This allows the vessel to disconnect and take shelter ahead of imminent dangerous weather conditions.
Oil processed on the FPSO will then flow through a 1.5 km flowline to the 650-bbl shuttle tankerBasker Spirit(formerlyNordic Yukon) via a disconnectable single point mooring system, for transport to market. The BM JV intends to initially ship the crude to a refinery in southeastern Australia. The Teekay Shipping-owned shuttle tanker is contracted with the JV for three years with options to extend an additional three years.
The BM JV achieved first production on November 14 - a very short 12 months from project sanction. The field’s Basker-2 subsea well was opened up at a rate of 9,500 b/d with no water production and accompanied by approximately 10 MMcf/d of solution gas. About 13 hours later, production stabilized at approximately 10,000 b/d. The well was spud by Diamond Offshore’s semisubmersibleOcean Patriot on August 14.
The Basker-2 well is planned to produce under an extended production test for six months, while further reservoir testing is carried out, which includes the drilling of four additional wells. Diamond’sOcean Patriotis contracted to drill these wells. Full field production is expected to begin in mid-2006 at an average rate of at least 25,000 b/d (with the system capability being in excess of 30,000 b/d), which will be equivalent to approximately 25% of Victoria’s current oil production.•
null
