Rosneft has made its debut as a drilling operator in international waters, as the Russian giant commenced drilling operations at the PLDD-1X well, offshore Vietnam.
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The HAKURYU-5 rig, image from Japan Drilling. |
The PLDD-1X exploration well is located in Block 06.1, on the shelf in the Nam Con Son basin, some 375km from the coast at 162m water depth.
Rosneft expects recoverable reserves of natural gas from the well’s geological structure to be an estimated 12.6 Bcm, and 0.6 Mt of gas condensate, which can be developed by subsea completion and tied-back to the existing and Rosneft-operated Lan Tay platform in Block 6.1.
The design depth of the well, which is being drilled with Japan Drilling's HAKURYU-5 semisubmersible drilling rig, is about 1380m.
"Rosneft has already demonstrated its competence in Russia during the successful drilling of the world's northernmost well in the Kara Sea, which resulted in the discovery of a new deposit in the Pobeda field,” said Igor Sechin, chairman of the management board, Rosneft. “Today, the company starts a similar project as a drilling operator in international waters. I am sure that the experience gained in Vietnam will be used by the company not only in its activity in the southern seas.”
The PSC comprises of two gas condensate fields, Lan Tay and Lan Do, with deposits located 370km off the coast in the Nam Con Son basin.
Lan Tay is a platform with production and gas compression equipment, and living quarters. Production is carried out from five wells with subsea production facilities connected to the platform with a single header.
Lan Do is represented by two wells with subsea production facilities connected to Lan Tay platform.
“These competences will find application in planning and implementation of upstream projects in remote areas. I would especially like to emphasize that this project is an example of advanced cooperation with the company's partners in the Asia-Pacific - Petrovietnam and ONGC,” Sechin said.
According to ONGC Videsh, first gas production from the basin began in November 2002 and rose considerably in 2003, as the Lan Tay field entered its first full year production. By June 2015, Block 06.1 started producing more than 46 Bcm of gas.
Following the drilling of PLDD-1X, Rosneft will drill another exploration well in block 05.3/11 also in the Nam Con Son basin. Incorporating the two wells into the same program will ensure synergy between the two projects and maximize efficiency of exploration projects at the company's Vietnamese assets, Rosneft said.
Later this year, the group also plans to shoot broadband 3D seismic of Block 6.1 to enhance ongoing production recovery and explore potential in deeper prospects.
Operated by the firm’s subsidiary, Rosneft Vietnam B.V. (35%), joint venture partners in the PSC include Indian oil major ONGC Videsh (45%) and Vietnamese state-run company PetroVietnam (20%).
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