By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Dec. 10 -- ExxonMobil Corp. has begun first production from a satellite fields development project, which it said is the first of its kind off Malaysia.
Seligi H, the first of five satellite platforms which will develop six fields, has come on stream. Seligi H is 50 miles off Terengganu in the South China Sea. The other platforms are Raya B, Lawang A, Serudon A, and Irong Barat B.
About 90 million bbl will be produced from the $240 million satellite platform project.
Peak production from all five generic, minimum facility platforms is expected to total 40,000 b/d of oil and 50 MMcfd of gas.
Production will be brought on stream in stages between the second quarter of 2002 and early 2003.
Terry Koonce, president of ExxonMobil Production Co., said "By simultaneously constructing these satellite platforms, sequentially installing them, and then using the same drilling rig, we are able to capitalize on time efficiencies and economies of scale. This type of development and approach ... allows us to gain the greatest possible recovery from smaller pockets of oil and gas, and so extend the economic life of existing reserves."
Under various production sharing contracts, ExxonMobil has a working interest of between 78% and 80% in the fields, with the remaining interest held by Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd.