Oil production restarts from Woollybutt off W. Australia

Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Mar. 10 -- Oil production has restarted from Woollybutt field off Western Australia after being offline for a year, said joint-venture partner Eni SPA.

The field was shut in on Apr. 28, 2009, to enable the Four Vanguard floating production, storage, and offloading vessel—now renamed Four Rainbow—to undergo a scheduled dry dock for extensive life extension refit.

After various checks and ramp-up procedures are completed during the next few weeks, Woollybutt production is expected to return to levels of 8,000-9,000 b/d.

Four Rainbow’s refit will enable the vessel to remain at the field until it is depleted, forecast to be 2013.

Eni operates Woollybutt field with 65%. JV partners are Tap Oil Ltd. 15% and ExxonMobil Corp. 20%.