PTTEP to ramp up gas production as operator of Thai fields

PTT Exploration and Production Public Co. Ltd. (PTTEP) plans to ramp up natural gas production now that it is the official operator of both the G1/61 (Erawan, Platong, Satun, and Funan fields) and G2/61 (Bongkot field) projects in the Gulf of Thailand as of Apr. 24, the first day of the production sharing contract.

In December 2018, the state-owned company won bidding for new concessions, retaining operatorship of Bongkot field and replacing a Chevron subsidiary for the concession covering Erawan gas field (OGJ Online, Dec. 14, 2018).

At transfer, natural gas production at G1/61 was 376 MMscfd. The production rate is expected to gradually decline due to the absence of continuous development and drilling activity prior to operatorship transfer. 

PTTEP expects production to initially remain about 250-300 MMscfd as the company plans to produce natural gas from remaining resources of existing production wells. It will then execute a plan to increase production to 800 MMscfd by April 2024. The plan includes acceleration of 8 wellhead platforms and subsea pipeline installation, a drilling campaign of 183 production wells, and procurement of an additional two drilling rigs for another 52 production wells. 

For G2/61, production will proceed accordingly to the work plan that plans to produce 700 MMscfd of natural gas.

To meet natural gas demand while the G1/61 project is underway, PTTEP will attempt to boost rates at Bongkot field, the Arthit project, and the MTJDA project by about 125 MMscfd, 60 MMscfd, and 30-50 MMscfd, respectively. In total, the production output will be raised by 200-250 MMscfd. 

The fields have combined production capacity of 1,500 MMcfd, or 60% of the nation’s gas supply.