Jadestone Energy, Singapore, has resumed oil production at its troubled Montara field in the Timor Sea offshore northern Australia following a 7-month shut-in due to oil leaks and related problems on the Montara Venture floating production storage and offtake vessel (FPSO).
Production re-started with the H-6 well. Other wells will be brought back on stream during in the coming weeks, including the first Skua subsea well drilled on a nearby accumulation.
Production flow rates are expected to increase with the systematic re-opening of additional wells, the company said.
Montara Venture was shut in in August 2022 when a small oil leak was found. Following repairs to the FPSO’s storage tanks and completion of inspections, Jadestone performed its scheduled four-yearly maintenance program of the vessel’s topsides.
Further delay was experienced with the onset of severe weather conditions in February which hampered topsides maintenance work.
The field was brought back online Mar. 21.
