A group led by Apache Energy has let a $60 million (Aus.) subsea contract to French engineering company Technip as part of the $438 million (Aus.) development of the group’s Balnaves oil field in the Carnarvon basin offshore Western Australia.
The field lies on production licence WA-49-L. Apache committed to development of the field in October 2011.
Technip’s contract involves project management, design, engineering, and installation of 7 km of flexible flowlines and risers as well as 3 km of umbilicals. It also will install manifolds, spools, flying leads, jumpers, a mooring system, and a riser column.
The company plans to use the newbuild multipurpose vessel Deep Orient for the task and the work will be controlled from the Perth office.
Technip will begin in 2013 with start of production expected in 2014.
Production is expected to be 30,000 b/d at peak through two horizontal wells connected to the FPSO Amanda Clair.
The development also includes a water injection well to maintain reservoir pressure.
All gas produced with the oil will be separated and reinjected into a separate reservoir for later reproduction to supply Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG project.
Technip is now well ensconced in offshore Western Australian projects with work including Wheatstone, Santos’ Fletcher-Finucane field, Woodside’s Greater Western Flank project, Inpex’s Ichthys LNG project, and Shell’s Prelude floating LNG project.
