Offshore staff
WEST PERTH, Australia — Carnarvon Energy has issued updates on preparatory work for the Dorado Field development offshore Western Australia, operated by Santos Energy, and further exploration studies in the area.
Preliminary studies to assess changes to the proposed Dorado FPSO to handle, process and store fluids from last year’s Pavo discovery indicate they are compatible with the processing equipment, and similar to Dorado’s semi-stabilized fluids.
One option could be to introduce the Pavo fluids mid-process directly to the FPSO as opposed to commingling at the Dorado wellhead platform.
Pavo would likely come onstream post startup of Dorado, pending available ullage and approvals, helping to maintain the production plateau. Engagement continues with the Australian regulator.
As the proposed development foresees the inclusion of further, yet-to-be-discovered hydrocarbon pools in the Bedout Sub-basin, the partners are working with the regulator to ensure that development and production can continue for many years.
During fourth-quarter 2022, another focus was on interpreting seismic data and well information over the Bedout acreage to high grade the best prospects for near-term drilling. To date, the partners have identified more than 100 covering a broad play range, with the top 20 potentially containing 1.5 Bbbl of oil combined.
Carnarvon also secured the regulator’s permission to relinquish its WA-523-P exploration permit in Timor-Leste waters, adjacent to the production sharing contract containing the Buffalo Field where drilling last year was unsuccessful.
01.20.2023
