ConocoPhillips produces first liquids from Bayu-Undan

Feb. 13, 2004
ConocoPhillips began production of first liquids Feb. 10 from Bayu-Undan field in the Timor Sea Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA) shared jointly by Australia and East Timor (OGJ Online, Mar. 10, 2003).

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, Feb. 13, 2004 -- ConocoPhillips began production of first liquids Feb. 10 from Bayu-Undan field in the Timor Sea Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA) shared jointly by Australia and East Timor (OGJ Online, Mar. 10, 2003). Natural gas production and prepreparation of the Liberdade floating storage and offloading vessel began earlier this year (OGJ Online, Jan. 16, 2004).

The gas condensate field contains recoverable hydrocarbons estimated at 400 million bbl of condensate and liquefied petroleum gas and 3.4 tcf of natural gas. Straddling production-sharing contract areas 03-12 and 03-13 in the JPDA between Timor-Leste and Australia, Bayu-Undan lies about 250 km south of Suai, Timor-Leste, and 500 km northwest of Darwin.

The liquids production is the first of a two-phase project. In the $1.8 billion first phase, the gas recycle facility by third quarter will produce and process 1.1 bcfd of wet gas, separate and store 115,000 b/d of condensate, propane, and butane combined, and reinject 950 MMcfd of dry gas back into the reservoir.

In the second phase—a $1.5 billion LNG development project—gas will be delivered via pipeline from the field to an LNG liquefaction plant at Wickham Point, near Darwin. ConocoPhillips has received approvals for this phase, and construction is under way. The 3.52 million tonne/year plant is expected to be complete in early 2006, at which time the first LNG cargo is scheduled for delivery to Japan (OGJ, June 30, 2003, p. 64).

A joint venture of Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc.-Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. JV, which has assumed a 10.08% ownership interest in the project, has contracted to purchase the project's LNG production of 3 million tonnes/year for 17 years.

ConocoPhillips holds a 56.72% interest in the project. Other partners are ENI SPA unit Agip SPA 12.04%, Santos Ltd. 10.64%, and Tokyo-based Inpex Corp. 10.53%, and Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc. and Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. 10.08%.