CanBaikal Resources Inc., Calgary, announced Wednesday that production through its newly constructed 28-km pipeline in Russia had begun. CanBaikal started oil production to fill the pipeline and associated tankage Aug. 8, and began delivering oil to the sales pipeline Aug. 10, 2000. RJ Bolton, president and CEO of CanBaikal, reported that the initial 450 b/d production rate, from a well in the Kulun pool, western Siberia, should rise to 650 b/d within the next 10 days. Production from a second well, in the Untegey North pool, which has been connected to the pipeline, will commence shortly after freeze up, when the well is fractured.
Triton Energy Ltd., Dallas, Tex., and Bergesen DY Offshore AS, Oslo, on Wednesday christened the Sendje Berge, a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel that Triton said will be the cornerstone of its initial development of the Ceiba field in block G off Equatorial Guinea. Triton and Bergesen held the ceremony at the Jurong shipyard in Singapore, where the Sendje Berge, a large crude carrier, is being converted to an FPSO. Triton is leasing the Sendje Berge from Bergesen under a multi-year contract. Following completion of the conversion, expected in September, the Sendje Berge will sail for Equatorial Guinea, where it is scheduled to begin oil production by the end of this year. Triton operates Block G with 85%, and Energy Africa Ltd. holds 15%.
Imperial Oil Ltd., Toronto, says it will spend an additional $630 million (Can.) to increase production by 30,000 b/d by late 2003 at its Cold Lake, Alta., heavy oil project. The spending will finance phases 11-13 at the long-running project. Cold Lake production averaged 116,000 b/d in the first half of this year. Imperial said initial production from the expansion will begin in late 2002 and expand to 30,000 b/d by the end of 2003.
Partners in the Ravva field off India's central eastern coast have discovered a new gas reservoir that they intend to develop as a satellite field. Operator Cairn Energy PLC, London, and partners have awarded Clough Ltd. a contract for design, engineering development, procurement, fabrication, load-out, transportation, installation, and commissioning of a gas wellhead platform and a number of submarine and onshore pipelines, plus onshore gas processing facilities. The Ravva field currently produces 50,000 b/d of oil and 800,000 cu m/day of gas. Joint venture partners include Oil & Natural Gas Corp. Ltd., Videocon Petroleum Ltd., and Ravva Oil (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
