Project Profile
Estimated investment: US$800 million
Location: Carnarvon Basin, offshore Western Australia
Reserves: Proven and probable reserves - 485PJ (446bcf) of sales gas and 1.6 million barrels of condensate
Water Depths: 62 metres
Discovery: 1997
Production Capacity: 110TJ of sales gas each day
Production start-up: Q4 2011
The Reindeer gas field is located in the Carnarvon Basin, offshore Western Australia in waters measuring 62 metres within exploration permit WA-209-P. Apache Corporation, operator, holds a 55% operating interest, and Santos holds the remaining 45% interest. First discovered in 1997, the field underwent development drilling in September 2008 when the Ensco 106 jackup drilled three development wells. A year later, the massive project was shelved in May 2009 after a key partner pulled out, but the US $800 million gas project was resurrected a month later. After receiving all the necessary governmental approvals, project construction commenced in September 2009.
Field Development
In August 2007, Santos commenced a FEED design for the project focusing on a development option consisting of an unmanned offshore platform with a pipeline connecting the platform to a new gas processing facility located onshore. A year later, this proposed concept was accepted and the finalized plan consists of several wells connecting to an unmanned wellhead platform in 65 meters of water. Gas and liquids will be exported from the platform to a new onshore gas processing plant via a single 105-kilometer pipeline. The processing plant is located approximately 45 kilometers west of Karratha at Devil Creek, which will deliver sales gas and stabilized condensate.
Gas from the field is sent through a 65-mile offshore pipeline to the onshore facility at Devil Creek. The facility will have the capacity to process 210 MMcf/d. Production from the field commenced on Dec. 6, 2011. With a life expectancy of 20 to 30 years, Reindeer is estimated to hold proven and probable reserves of 485 petajoules of gas sales and 1.6 million barrels of condensate.
Operators:
Macquarie Capital & Brookfield Asset Management: Operator with 55% interest
Santos: 45% interest
Contractor:
SapuraAcergy: Transportation and installation of 57 miles (91 kilometers) of 16-inch-diameter rigid pipeline including a shallow water beach approach, subsea tie-in and stabilization works together with a wellhead platform of a 1,700 ton (1,542 tonnes) four leg jacket and a 450 ton (408 tonnes) topside processing module