Pokohura platform off New Zealand on stream | Oil & Gas Journal

Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Mar. 22 -- Gas and condensate production from the first of six planned offshore wells in Pokohura field off New Zealand has begun.

The other wells will be drilled from the production platform, completed, and tied in to the pipeline to shore during the next 12 months. After drilling, the platform will be unmanned and controlled from onshore facilities.

Three extended-reach wells drilled from onshore locations into the southern part of the Taranaki basin field started up last September.

Pokohura output will bring the onshore processing plant near New Plymouth in the North Island to its full capacity of 20 MMcfd of gas plus condensate during first-quarter 2008.

Pokohura has an estimated 750 bcf of gas reserves. The condensate content is rich, believed to be around 50 million bbl.

The field is operated by Shell Exploration New Zealand Ltd. with 48% interest. Todd Energy and OMV New Zealand hold 26% each.

More in Drilling & Production

Senex reports first gas from Project Atlas in Queensland

Senex Energy Ltd., Brisbane, has announced first gas production from its Project Atlas in the onshore Surat basin of southeast Queensland.

The Santos/Carnarvon Petroleum JV has concluded its 2019 drilling program at Dorado oil and gas field in the Bedout subbasin offshore Western Australia

Success in Dorado-3 second test enhances field expectations

The Santos Ltd./Carnarvon Petroleum Ltd. joint venture has announced a successful conclusion to its 2019 drilling program at Dorado oil and gas field in the Bedout subbasin offshore Western Australia.

Turkey moves drillship onto Cypriot block

Turkish Petroleum has moved one of its two drillships onto Block 7 off southern Cyprus, where the Cypriot government last month authorized drilling by a combine of Eni and Total. Turkey claims the block and much of Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone.

Johan Sverdrup comes on stream in Norwegian North Sea

Johan Sverdrup field Phase 1 production came on stream Oct. 5 on Utsira High in the Norwegian North Sea. Production is expected to ramp up quickly with eight production wells already drilled or in the process of being drilled, reported Lundin Petroleum.

Baker Hughes: International rig count down 7 units in September

The international rig count for September reached 1,131 units, a decline of 7 from August and an increase of 127 from September 2018, according to Baker Hughes data.

Baker Hughes: Canada gains 17 oil rigs for the week

Canada has added 17 rigs for the week ended Oct. 4, according to Baker Hughes data. While the jump puts the total number of rigs running at 144, the count is less than the 182 units drilling this week a year ago.

Istmo Salinas basin drilling program begins

An exploration drilling program in shallow water in the Salinas del Istmo basin in the southeast Gulf of Mexico has begun, partner Citla Energy reported.

Transocean says semisubmersible features hybrid storage

Transocean Ltd. has deployed what it calls the first hybrid energy storage system aboard a floating drilling unit. The system is on the Transocean Spitsbergen harsh-environment, ultradeepwater, semisubmersible drilling rig.

Oxy to use solar for EOR work in Permian basin

Occidental Petroleum Corp. has started a solar facility to power an enhanced oil recovery operation in the Permian basin’s Goldsmith field in Ector County, Tex.

Scotland bans unconventional development

The Scottish government has confirmed its de facto ban on hydraulic fracturing and other methods of developing unconventional oil and gas (UOG) resources.

Shell hires Dolphin Drilling for Knarr field work off Norway

AS Norske Shell has hired Dolphin Drilling’s Borgland Dolphin semisubmersible drilling rig for drilling and completion of a gas production well in Knarr field.

191003 Hgsl Tolmount Diagram

Tolmount platform in UK North Sea gets installation operator

Humber Gathering System, a Kellas Midstream company, and Dana Petroleum have appointed ODE Asset Management as installation operator of the Tolmount platform, a normally unattended installation in the southern UK North Sea.

Leviathan, Tamar sales commitments hiked

Noble Energy Inc. and partners in deepwater Leviathan and Tamar natural gas fields offshore Israel have amended their agreements with an Egyptian gas buyer to more than double firm volume commitments.

191002 Aker Bp Valhall Rendition

Valhall West Flank facility start-up approved

The start-up of the Valhall West Flank facility in the North Sea has been approved by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. The facility is a further development of Valhall field in the southern part of the Norwegian Continental Shelf, 290 km offshore.