PTTEP makes sweet gas discovery offshore Malaysia

Thailand’s national upstream company PTTEP has made another gas discovery in Malaysia with its Paprika-1 exploration well on Block SK 410B, offshore Sarawak, and is already considering development options.

The discovery provides PTTEP with a further development opportunity in Northern Sarawak and supports the company’s long-term growth.

The Paprika wildcat, which was spudded in July, was drilled to a total depth of 3348 metres by Velesto Energy’s jack-up Naga 5 (Dragon 5) and encountered gas pay in clastic reservoirs.

PTTEP and its Block SK 410B partners Kufpec and Petronas Carigali earlier made the Lang Lebah giant gas discovery on the same block.

“Paprika-1 is PTTEP’s first exploration well in Malaysia this year and is successfully completed with a sweet gas discovery which enables the company to move toward further assessment for the development of the field,” said the company’s chief executive Montri Rawanchaikul.

“This discovery presents an important opportunity for PTTEP to strategically establish the ’Northern Sarawak Clastic Hub’.

“The success also highlights the strong partnership of all joint venture partners and the expertise in applying intensive subsurface evaluation to identify opportunities in mature area,” he added.

SK 410B is located in shallow waters, approximately 90 kilometres off the coast of Miri, Sarawak, and is adjacent to Block SK 417 where PTTEP last year made the Nangka sweet gas discovery.

The operator said that Paprika's location provides it the opportunity to consider exploiting the discovery alongside other finds in this area as a cluster development.

“This area also has existing facilities nearby which can potentially support future development,” added PTTEP.

The Thai company operates Block SK 410B with a 42.5% participating interest, Kufpec also holds 42.5% while Petronas Carigali has 15%.