BHP's Minerva gas field project marks progress

March 1, 1999
The proposed $150-200 million (Australian) development of BHP Petroleum Pty. Ltd.'s Minerva natural gas field in the Otway basin off western Victoria has moved a step closer to reality with the publication of the project environmental impact assessment. The field contains proven reserves of 222.4 bcf and lies just 12 km off Port Campbell-an area well known for its tourist attractions, including the Twelve Apostles rock formations.

The proposed $150-200 million (Australian) development of BHP Petroleum Pty. Ltd.'s Minerva natural gas field in the Otway basin off western Victoria has moved a step closer to reality with the publication of the project environmental impact assessment.

The field contains proven reserves of 222.4 bcf and lies just 12 km off Port Campbell-an area well known for its tourist attractions, including the Twelve Apostles rock formations.

The development proposal includes use of subsea facilities in preference to a mini-platform, plus a pipeline to shore and a gas plant on farmland distant from housing and tourist locations. The line will run through the Port Campbell National Park and require a 600 m trench adjacent to a fishing and surfers' track near the coast.

Fertilizer, pipeline projects

To make the development viable, BHP is currently undertaking a $15 million feasibility study of a proposal to build a $550 million urea fertilizer plant at Lara near Geelong, about 50 km west of Melbourne, with fertilizer company Incitec Ltd.

BHP also revealed it is negotiating with the Victorian state-owned Transmission Pipelines of Australia (TPA) to gain access to the 144-km southwest gas pipeline under construction between Port Campbell and Lara. This line is designed to connect an underground gas storage project to the main Victorian gas grid system as part of a back-up gas supply strategy.

This storage facility will require pipeline capacity of 186 MMcfd at peak periods. BHP needs another 140 MMcfd of pipeline capacity to carry Minerva gas. TPA says the new line will have sufficient capacity to meet short and longer-term demands.

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