BHP brings Stybarrow project on stream

Nov. 19, 2007
BHP Billiton Ltd. has begun production, ahead of schedule, from the Stybarrow development on Block WA-32-L in the Exmouth subbasin 65 km off Western Australia's North West Shelf. The $760 million development initially was expected to start up in early 2008.

Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Nov. 19 -- BHP Billiton Ltd. has begun production, ahead of schedule, from the Stybarrow development on Block WA-32-L in the Exmouth subbasin 65 km off Western Australia's North West Shelf. The $760 million development initially was expected to start up in early 2008.

Stybarrow lies in some 825 m of water, making it Australia's deepest offshore development. It contains nine subsea wells that are connected to the 80,000 b/d Stybarrow Venture floating production, storage, and offloading vessel.

Oil is produced from Eskdale field via a single well tie-back to Stybarrow field. This will be followed by production from adjacent wells in the field. Production is expected to ramp up to full flow during the next few months.

Eskdale and Stybarrow fields were discovered in February 2003 and have estimated to have total recoverable reserves of 60-90 million bbl, with a field life of 10 years.