Project Profile
Value: US$4.5 billion
Location: Grippsland Basin, Bass Strait, offshore Victoria, Australia
Resources: confirmed resources of approximately 620 billion cubic feet of recoverable gas and 30 million barrels of oil and gas liquids (Kipper field) and approximately 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 110 million barrels of oil and gas liquids (Turrum)
Start-up year: 2016
ExxonMobil has started production from the Kipper Tuna Turrum project in the Bass Strait offshore Victoria, Australia. Natural gas production has commenced from the Tuna field via two new pipelines and oil is being produced from the Turrum field through the new Marlin B platform. Operated by ExxonMobil subsidiary, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd., the US$4.5-billion Kipper Tuna Turrum project is the largest domestic oil and gas development on the eastern seaboard. Production from the project will help maintain current gas production levels from Bass Strait, which have been producing for more than 40 years.
Kipper production is expected to come online in 2016, following the installation of mercury removal facilities. The Turrum and Tuna projects are part of the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture, in which Esso Australia Resources and BHP Billiton Petroleum (Bass Strait) each have a 50% interest.
The Kipper venture participants are Esso Australia Resources (32.5% and operator) and subsidiaries of BHP Billiton (32.5%) and Santos Limited (35%). The Kipper field has confirmed resources of approximately 620 billion cubic feet of recoverable gas and 30 million barrels of oil and gas liquids. Turrum is expected to recover approximately 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 110 million barrels of oil and gas liquids, on a 100 percent basis.
Turrum is part of the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture in which BHP Billiton and Esso Australia Resources (operator), each have a 50 per cent interest.
Operator:
The Kipper Unit Joint Venture:
Esso Australia Resources: Operator with 32.5% interest
BHP Billiton: 32.5% interest
Mitsui E&P Australia: 35% interest
Gippsland Basin Joint Venture: Turrum field
Esso Australia Resources: Operator with 50% interest
BHP Billiton: 50% interest
Contractors:
EnerMech Australia: Offshore crane maintenance services
Diamond Offshore (Australia) LLC: Drilling contractor
J. Ray McDermott Asia Pacific: Engineering, procurement, construction and installation
Sub contractors:
Burntisland Fabrications Ltd. (BiFab)
Lloyds Register