From Australia (RW): WHL Energy has raised the possibility of a stand-alone gas development in its acreage offshore Otway Basin of Victoria. The company is basing this on the early interpretation of the recent LA BELLA 3-D seismic survey.

The report suggests a total of 14 prospects with total potential resources of 28mcm and 32mmbbls of condensate and LPGs.

A group of four prospects have been mapped on the Ferrier Terrace immediately west of the existing La Bella gas field in WHL’s acreage. They have been named as Mylius, Mylius West, Ferrier and Ferrier South.

The company says that in conjunction with La Bella itself these prospects could form a core gas development. The permit Vic/P67 is adjacent to existing Otway Basin projects so development could be routed through this infrastructure. Alternatively there may be sufficient gas for a stand-alone project. WHL is keen to prioritise and mature two of the new prospects for drilling in 2015.

From Australia (RW): Sunbird Energy has secured a A$25mn capital injection and gained a strategic partner for its IBHUBESI (31/7) subsea gas-to-electricity project in South Africa.

The pan-African investment company Vandasia Investments is set to acquire a 43.9% stake in Sunbird via a two-stage transaction that involves two capital raisings at the equivalent of $0.34 a share and the acquisition and conversion of 47.75 million existing $0.20 options. The transaction also provides the funding required to develop Ibhubesi, including FEED studies, commercial negotiations and regulatory approval in time for the planned final investment decision next year.

Vandasia was formed by a group of industrialists from South Africa and Nigeria with the aim of commercialising the vast array of undeveloped gas resources throughout Africa. It has been structured to invest in LNG facilities and related infrastructure as well as gas-to-power projects such as Ibhubesi.

Ithaca Energy has reported a 12,000b/d test flow rate from the fourth production well on the GREATER STELLA AREA development in UK waters...Composite pipe supplier Airborne Oil & Gas will provide a 1,600m downline to IKM Testing for the commissioning of flowlines and risers on Statoil’s AASTA HANSTEEN (31/12) spar project in Norway...Jee has had its pipeline support and inspection contract with BP extended by a further three years covering work in the UK and internationally including Angola, Norway, Azerbaijan and Trinidad & Tobago.