Thailand’s national upstream company PTTEP is set to spud imminently the Nangka-1 exploration well on the Block SK 417 production sharing contract offshore Sarawak in Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone.
Borr Drilling’s jack-up rig Saga, which was last operating on the Medan Helang D1-1 well, has been lined up for the Nangka wildcat.
The gas exploration well is expected to take until 15 August to complete.
The large anchor-handling tug supply vessels Tourmaline and JP88 Stork were involved in the tow of the Saga to the Nangka location.
Dokong success
Operator PTTEP will be hoping to repeat the success of its Dokong-1 exploration well, which it made earlier this year on Block SK 417.
Dokong is a high-quality sweet gas discovery that revives the Baram shallow clastics play, according to the nation’s host Petronas.
The shallow-water Dokong-1 well, which was spudded in late 2020, discovered a gas column of more than 80 metres in the Middle to Late Miocene Cycle VI-VII reservoirs — a success said to further validate the potential of the remaining prospects in the Baram Province.
“This drilling result paves the way for exploration of nearby prospects that have similar geological structures,” PTTEP chief executive Phongsthorn Thavisin earlier said.
“It also presents [the] opportunity for PTTEP to synergize future development and production of SK 417 with the adjacent areas and leverage on our strong expertise in cluster development.”
Work is already under way to help determine the size of the Dokong discovery, which is located approximately 90 kilometres offshore Sarawak.
“Monetisation of sweet gas discovered in Baram Province can be supported through existing infrastructure and will contribute towards Petronas’ aspiration in delivering reliable, stable and cleaner energy supply to domestic and global markets,” said Petronas senior vice president of Malaysia Petroleum Management Mohamed Firouz Asnan.
Reinvigorates exploration landscape
“In addition, the Dokong-1 discovery reinvigorates the entire exploration landscape of the Baram Province, strengthening the role of Baram gas supply network as part of the larger Sarawak gas system.”
PTTEP has an 80% operated interest in Block SK 417 on behalf of sole partner Malaysian national upstream company Petronas Carigali on 20%. The PSC was signed in March 2018 after it was offered in the previous year’s Malaysia Bid Round (MBR).
