SANTOS STARTS UP NEW COOPER BASIN GAS FLOW

April 9, 1990
The Cooper basin group led by Santos Ltd. has started gas production from two South Australia permits linked to the state's gas grid by a new gathering system. Santos last month began processing gas from fields in Southwest Patchawarra and Murta blocks at the Moomba plant. Southwest Patchawarra fields, lying north and west of Moomba, include Karunda, Andree/Leleptian, and Kanowana. Murta fields, farther south, include Garanjanie, Thurakina, and Dirkala.

The Cooper basin group led by Santos Ltd. has started gas production from two South Australia permits linked to the state's gas grid by a new gathering system.

Santos last month began processing gas from fields in Southwest Patchawarra and Murta blocks at the Moomba plant.

Southwest Patchawarra fields, lying north and west of Moomba, include Karunda, Andree/Leleptian, and Kanowana. Murta fields, farther south, include Garanjanie, Thurakina, and Dirkala.

Santos expects the Murta block to produce about 26 MMcfd and the Southwest Patchawarra block to produce about 13 MMcfd of gas for markets in and around Adelaide in 1990.

In addition, the new production carries a rich natural gas liquids stream that can be stripped at Moomba and sent to market via pipeline to Port Bonython on Spencer Gulf.

OTHER POTENTIAL

Other discoveries, including Jack Lake field on the Southwest Patchawarra block, are to go on stream through the new gathering system.

The group also has identified several exploration prospects on both blocks.

Santos estimates total combined reserves in the two blocks at about 104.5 bcf. Total gas consumption in South Australia in 1990 is estimated at 229 MMcfd.

Companies holding interests in the Murta block are Santos 45%, Delhi Petroleum 27%, and Sagasco Resources Ltd. and Santos unit Vamgas 14% each.

Interests in the Southwest Patchawarra block are Sagasco 30%, Santos 25%, Vamgas 20%, Delhi 15%, and Comada Energy 10%.

Complicating ownership interests in the blocks are the Karunda and Andree/Leleptian fields. They overlap the boundary of the original Cooper Basin Unit.

Four of the seven companies in the original unit hold interests in the Murta and Southwest Patchawarra blocks, although unit and block interests do not correspond for them.

That led the group to draw up a production sharing contract for the overlapping fields.

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