Mubadala Petroleum has announced that production commenced at its Manora oil field in the northern Gulf of Thailand on 11th November.
Production is expected to reach a peak rate of approximately 15,000 bpd as production wells are completed. Up to 10 production wells and five injection wells in the main reservoir sequence are planned. The field is located within the G1/48 concession, approximately 80 kilometers offshore in 44 meters of water.
The Manora project has been delivered with a strong emphasis on safety, and together with partners Tap Energy (Thailand) Pty Ltd and Northern Gulf Petroleum Pte Ltd., the company will have invested approximately US$300 million in the development.
Bakheet Al Katheeri, Chief Operating Officer, said, “The Manora development builds on Mubadala Petroleum’s strong technical understanding of the subsurface in this basin, which is based on the experience gained over the years in the very successful operation of the Jasmine oil field in concession B5/27. The Jasmine field has already produced well over 50 million barrels of oil, far exceeding the 7 million barrels of recoverable reserves underpinning the original project sanction in 2004. In addition to Jasmine and Manora, we are in the process of developing the Nong Yao oil discovery in concession G11/48, with first oil expected by mid-2015. By that time, Mubadala Petroleum production from the three operated fields will more than double from current rates.” Originally discovered in 2009, Manora opened up a new oil play in the northern Gulf of Thailand. The field was further appraised by drilling three wells, and field development was sanctioned in July 2012.
The first oil from Manora follows the hook-up and commissioning phase and parallel operations drilling of the first four of up to 10 production wells. All platform facilities were constructed in Thai fabrication yards.
The facilities include a Wellhead Processing Platform, with water injection facilities to maximise oil recovery, connected via subsea pipelines to a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel. The commercial life of the field is projected to exceed 10 years.
Proved and probable reserves contained in Manora’s primary reservoir, and recoverable by natural depletion, are estimated to be in the order of 20 million barrels (gross). Water injection will be implemented from start-up and once its effectiveness has been confirmed by enhanced production performance, further reserves will be added.
Mubadala Petroleum holds a 60 percent interest and is the operator of G1/48. Tap Energy holds a 30 percent interest and Northern Gulf Petroleum the remaining 10 percent.
Source : WAM News Agency for United Arab Emirates
