By an OGJ Online Correspondent
SINGAPORE, Mar. 5�Malaysian national oil company Petronas has announced completion of the first phase of development of Angsi field off Malaysia in the South China Sea. First gas from Angsi is expected in the first quarter 2002.
The development is a joint venture of Petronas subsidiary Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. and Esso Production Malaysia Inc.
The phase, also known as the Southern Gas Pipeline System, included design, fabrication, and installation of a drilling and riser platform (dubbed AnDR-A), modifications to the Guntong D platform�a satellite to the producing Guntong field�and modifications to the Jerneh onshore slug-catcher in Kertih, Terengganu.
That work included installation by the two partners of 222 km of interconnecting 32-in. gas pipeline from Guntong D platform to the AnDR-A and on to the onshore facility.
Gas from Guntong D platform began flowing to AnDR-A Feb. 2. The current flow rate is 80 MMcfd-100 MMcfd.
The pipeline system is designed to handle a peak rate of 1.2 bcfd to accommodate gas from various fields currently being developed and those to be developed in the future. This includes the Angsi field.
The work was completed well within its projected schedule of first quarter 2001 at a 27% saving from the original cost estimate. To save money, the partners practiced initiatives like joint procurement and contracting, simplification of processes and facilities, and other measures. About 65% of the work in this phase was undertaken by local contractors.
Phase II of the project, which consists of design, fabrication, and installation of two additional platforms�a central processing platform (AnPG-A) for production of crude oil and natural gas and a drilling platform (AnDP-B)�has already started. The two platforms, being built at Pasir Gudang and Kuching respectively, will be installed by the third quarter, together with a 48-km crude export pipeline to the existing Tapis pump platform.
A Phase III development plan is in the pipeline following a recent discovery of additional petroleum reserves at the Angsi field.
