Jack up rig arrives for Pasca A-4 appraisal in Gulf of Papua

China Oilfield Services Ltd.’s COSL Seeker jack up rig was offloaded in Port Moresby harbor during the weekend and is now heading for Perth company Twinza Oil Ltd.’s Pasca A-4 appraisal drilling location in the Gulf of Papua.

Twinza says Pasca A-4 will be the final appraisal on Pasca A gas-condensate field and will be extensively evaluated and flow tested. The well program is expected to continue until the end of October.

The well will be suspended as a future development well with a final investment decision on the project expected early next year.

Twinza has already signed a full stream agreement with Baker Hughes so that once FID has been achieved, the two firms will work together to provide an integrated gas processing solution from the development wells through to the point of gas export.

Installation of Pasca A production facilities will finally enable development of Pasca field which was discovered nearly 50 years ago. It will be Papua New Guinea’s first offshore oil and gas development and is expected to provide the catalyst for further integrated development of other offshore resources in the gulf.

Twinza has 100% of the Pasca A production license. The company has submitted a development plan comprising two phases. Stage 1 will be the initial production of natural gas liquids for the domestic PNG market as well as distribution to Pacific area markets. Dry gas will be reinjected into the reservoir. Stage 2 will be the production of dry gas for export.

Start of Stage 1 production is expected in 2020.