OMV chases offshore rigs for key wells off New Zealand
Austrian operator aims to drill multiple wells at its existing fields and on the Toutouwai discovery
Austrian player OMV is on the lookout for offshore drilling rigs to bring into New Zealand to work on its existing fields and its recent Toutouwai discovery.
The Vienna-headquartered operator is chasing either a large jack-up or a semi-submersible, or both, and has approached the drilling market with enquiries, said contracting sources.
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It remains to be seen if OMV will have any success bringing in a rig for the upcoming summer, with sources suggesting that late 2021-early 2022 is more likely.
Jack-up in sights
OMV may be assessing a jack-up that ExxonMobil currently has working off south-east Australia, contracting sources said.
The US supermajor has the Noble Tom Prosser on contract in the Bass Strait until the end of this month, with eight one-well options.
Contracting sources said OMV needs a high-specification jack-up for a drilling programme at its Maui field in water depths of about 330 feet.
The aim of the drilling campaign is to extend the life of the Maui field and the programme could consist of up to six wells over a 12-month period.
OMV would like to get under way with the Maui programme in late 2021 or early 2022, and is also open to the option of using a semisub tender assist rig.
In the meantime, the Austrian operator is embarking on a series of sidetrack wells at Maui using the platform rig Archer Emerald.
The Archer Emerald is being loaded up onto the Maui-A production platform for a firm five sidetrack wells plus two one-well options.
The sidetrack campaign has been delayed by Covid-19, which slowed the mobilisation of the Archer Emerald.
Toutouwai appraisal plans
Industry sources said OMV also needs a rig for the Pohokura field and for drilling a first appraisal well on its Toutouwai discovery well from earlier this year.
The Toutouwai discovery was confirmed by OMV and its joint venture partners Mitsui and SapuraOMV in April and, although a resource size has not been disclosed.
OMV’s senior vice president for Australasia, Gabriel Selischi, said at the time that Toutouwai (the Maori word for the robin bird) had “the potential to be a significant result for the company in New Zealand”.
Toutouwai-1 was drilled in 130 metres of water to 4317 metres total depth by the semisub COSL Prospector.
OMV had to bring the drilling programme to a premature end due to Covid-19 that prevented testing of Toutouwai-1 and drilling of the Maui-8 well.
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