PTTEP Australasia (PTTEP AA) achieved first oil from the Montara field in the Timor Sea off Western Australia, the company announced on June 20.
The Montara Venture FPSO started production at the H2 well at the beginning of June, achieving steady rates by June 12. The company expects to ramp production up to 21,000 bo/d with first off take of oil from the FPSO occurring by August.
"First oil at Montara is an exciting development for PTTEP AA," said Chief Executive Ken Fitzpatrick. "It is the culmination of hard work and attention to detail by our project team to deliver safe and clean production."
PTTEP said development of a fourth production well, H5, is scheduled for 2H 2013. The company previously planned to complete the well in 2012, but a combination of bad weather - two tropical cyclones during the 2012-2013 season - and a lack of available drilling rigs led to delays in the program's schedule.
Fitzpartrick said since the infamous 2009 Montara oil spill PTTEP AA transformed its management culture, operational capabilities, and safety processes and environmental systems, which have been validated by five independent reviews commissioned by the Australian Government over more than two years.
"Our working mantra is that safety is paramount for PTTEP AA - not cost, not schedule and not production," he said. "No one should be injured at PTTEP AA. This is reinforced with all our contractors."
Image: Montara Well Head Platform (foreground) with work boat the Normand Clough alongside in the Timor Sea. Montara Venture FPSO vessel in the background.
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