Mobil group finds more gas off W. Australia

A Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty. Ltd. group has made another sizeable gas discovery in the Carnarvon basin off Western Australia, bolstering prospects for a proposed second liquefied natural gas export scheme for the region.

The partners conducted two drill stem tests of John Brookes 1/ST-1 well on permit WA-214-P. The well was drilled to 12,270 ft TD in 230 ft of water and flowed a combined 53.4 MMcfd of gas and 460 b/d of condensate from the two zones tested.

In the first test, a flow rate of 16 MMcfd of gas and 260 b/d each of condensate and water was recorded during clean-up through a 3/4-in. choke from the base of an 80-m gas column in early Cretaceous Barrow Group pay at 2,884-2,900 m.

"Drill Stem Test No. 1 was conducted with the purpose of determining the hydrocarbon-water contact, as well as determining reservoir flow characteristics," said Santos Ltd., a partner in the permit. "These objectives have been met."

A second test was conducted over an interval at 2,820-2,850 m, near the top of the gas column. In this test, the well flowed at rates as high as 37.4 MMscfd of gas and 200 b/d of condensate through a 60/64-in. choke.

Interests in the permit are: operator Mobil 35%, AEC International (Australia) Pty. Ltd. 25%, and Santos and Apache Oil Australia Pty. Ltd. 20% each.

LNG plans

The John Brookes discovery well lies only about 5 km west-southwest of Tryal Rocks-1 well and amid several other gas fields awaiting development (see map, this page [103,654 bytes]).

This most recent gas find in the Gorgon area should improve prospects for the grassroots Gorgon LNG project proposed by Western Australian Petroleum Pty. Ltd. (Wapet), a consortium of Chevron Asiatic Ltd., Texaco Oil Development, Mobil, and Shell Development (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

The group hopes to develop Gorgon area gas fields to feed an LNG plant that will consist of two 4 million metric ton/year liquefaction trains. First exports are currently slated for late 2002, according to Western Australia's Department of Resources Development.

A further two trains of equal capacity may be added later.

The development project is intended to include Gorgon, North Gorgon, Spar, West Tryal Rocks, Chrysaor, and Dionysus fields. This latest find is an apparent candidate for inclusion in the Gorgon production complex.

Nearby Tryal Rocks field is small and would not be commercial on its own, but it could be tied in with a larger Gorgon complex.