Brunei Shell makes Bubut offshore gas discovery

Nov. 15, 2007
Brunei Shell Petroleum Co. Sdn. Bhd. has reported a natural gas discovery in the Bubut structure 7 km off Brunei and some 15 km from the Brunei LNG plant.

Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15 -- Brunei Shell Petroleum Co. Sdn. Bhd. has reported a natural gas discovery in the Bubut structure 7 km off Brunei and some 15 km from the Brunei LNG plant.

The Deep Driller 2 jack up drilled the exploration well in deep, high-pressure sand reservoirs. Shell said well logs and hydrocarbon samples confirmed the finding, but it did not release details.

Reports said that as a result of the Bubut discovery, Shell will reevaluate the nearby Danau structure, which was drilled in the 1970s. Additional appraisal work will be conducted in both fields to define their full potential. Both fields would be developed in a single, integrated program, the company said.

"You can see the BLNG plant from the exploration rig. The discovery is in shallow waters and close to existing infrastructure and, as such, we are confident of bringing production on stream in the shorter term," said Grahaeme Henderson, Brunei Shell managing director, in making the announcement to local media.

Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].