Shell operates in the Libra-1 well: in permit AC/P41 off Western Australia
Shell poised for Libra-1 return
Nexus Energy expects the drilling rig for the Shell-operated Libra-1 well off Western Australia to be re-crewed later this week after operations were suspended due to Tropical Cyclone Billy.
The forward programme for the well, in AC/P41 permit in the Browse basin, includes additional wireline logging prior to the well being plugged and abandoned as planned.
Logging-while-drilling results had indicated the presence of 180 gross metres of pay in several sand packages.
The well is being drilled by the semi-submersible rig Ocean Epoch, operated by Shell with a 65% stake on behalf of AC/P41 joint venture partners Mitsui E&P (20%) and Nexus Energy (15%).
The Libra structure lies immediately south of Nexus’s Crux liquids field on AC/P23.
Meanwhile, Woodside Petroleum said operations at its semi-submersible rig Sedco 703 on the Browse basin remained suspended because of the storm.
"Our Sedco 703 rig is still evacuated and we’re still monitoring the situation,” Yvonne Ball, a spokeswoman for the Perth-based company, told Bloomberg today.
The rig is drilling an appraisal well about 425 kilometres off Broome.
MEO Australia said it expected hand-over of the semi-submersible rig Songa Venus to be put back further to 5 January next year as the storm had prevented current operator Santos from releasing the vessel from the Ichthys North-1 well.
The storm is just the latest obstacle to MEO Australia's plans to spud the Zeus-1 well off north-west Australia. The well, in the WA-361-P permit, has been delayed from late October due to technical problems at the ichthys well.
Tropical Storm Billy was estimated to be 85 kilometres north of Broome at 9am Western Australian time today, and to be moving south-west at 15 kilometres per hour, the news service said.