Development activity in Thailand has seen strong progress in recent weeks, with one project getting the green light and others moving along and some making contract awards.

Explorers also have been busy with the drill bit both onshore and in the Gulf of Thailand.

KrisEnergy has approved a final investment decision (FID) for the development of the Wassana oil field in Block G10/48 in the Gulf of Thailand. Production is scheduled to start in the second half of 2015. The Wassana development concept comprises a mobile offshore production unit (MOPU) and between 12 and 14 development wells producing to a floating storage and offloading vessel.

KrisEnergy has taken on a converted Bethlehem Matt Type jackup currently employed as a MOPU offshore Malaysia. The unit is suitable for water depths up to 65 m (213 ft) and has full hydrocarbon processing facility for up to 20,000 bbl/d of oil and a water injection capacity of 15,000 bbl/d.

The company will take delivery of the MOPU in September when it will go into drydock for inspection and minor refurbishments.

KrisEnergy has a 100% stake in Block G10/48, which covers 4,696 sq km (1,813 sq miles) over the southern section of the Pattani Basin in water depths up to 60 m (196ft). The license contains three oil discoveries—Wassana, Niramai and Mayura—which are in various stages of development or appraisal. The Wassana oil field is expected to reach a peak production of 10,000 bbl/d of oil.

“Having taken over operatorship of G10/48 in mid-May, we are making good headway in advancing the Wassana development,” said Chris Gibson-Robinson, the company’s E&P director. “The MOPU solution is efficient both in timing and costs, but also provides the flexibility to look at future commercialization of other discoveries in the G10/48 licence area.”

Manora on track

Mubadala Petroleum, operator of the joint venture operating the Manora oil development in the Gulf of Thailand, reports that project is on schedule for first production in late third-quarter 2014.

“Recent political events in Thailand have not had an impact on the project budget or schedule,” partner Tap Oil said.

On June 24, installation of the subsea work was completed, including the installation of the CALM buoy, risers and connections to the subsea pipeline end manifold, which was previously installed.

Completion of the subsea installation work leaves installation of the topsides and arrival of the floating storage and offloading vessel as the final remaining facility scope. The most recent offshore activity was completed safely and within budget.

SapuraKencana scoops Asian deals

Malaysian contractor SapuraKencana Petroleum has won a host of wellhead platform (WHP) engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning contracts worth a total of $415 million for field development projects offshore Thailand and Malaysia.

SapuraKencana will build four WHPs and associated subsea pipelines for the Carigali-PTTEPI Operating Co.’s Phase 3 development of Block N-17 and B-17-01 field in the Thailand-Malaysia Joint Development Area.

Work on the estimated 39-month fabrication project has started, with completion targeted for September 2017.

SapuraKencana also landed another deal from Hess for the construction of three WHPs for the U.S. player’s North Malay Basin gas and condensate development.

That contract is due to start this quarter and has an estimated duration of slightly longer than two years, with completion of the units expected in third-quarter 2016.

Gulf of Thailand well spudded

Mubadala Petroleum has started drilling an exploration well in Block G11/48 in the Gulf of Thailand.

Joint venture partner KrisEnergy said the Atwood Orca jackup rig spudded the Rojana-A probe in 71 m (233 ft) of water. The well has a planned total measured depth of 1,472 m (4,830 ft) and will assess a series of Miocene-aged stacked sandstone reservoirs.

“Rojana-A is the first exploration well to be drilled in Block G11/48 since the successful exploration and ensuing appraisal programs in 2009 and 2010, respectively,” Gibson-Robinson said.

Block G11/48 covers 3,374 sq km (1,303 sq miles) in the southern margin of the Pattani Basin and northwest margin of the Malay Basin. The contract area contains the Nong Yao oil discovery, which is currently under development. First oil is anticipated in the first half of 2015.

Mubadala operates the block with a 67.5% stake, while KrisEnergy holds a 22.5% stake and Palang Sophon has the remaining 10%.

Meanwhile, Carnarvon Petroleum reports that the WBEXT-2C deviated appraisal well in the L44/43 concession has been spudded.

The Elite-01 drilling rig was used to start the probe. The WBEXT-2C well is planned to penetrate the Wichian Buri I and II fractured igneous reservoirs in a three-way dip closed structure bounded by a major north/south fault.

The well has a projected total measured depth of around 1,280 m (4,200 ft), with the Wichian Buri I igneous interval being interpreted at 750 m (2,461 ft) true vertical depth and the Wichian Buri II igneous interval being interpreted at 970 m (3,183ft) true vertical depth.

The WBEXT-2C well is located within the existing Wichian Buri Extension production license and is projected to take around 12 days to drill on a trouble free basis. The L44/43 concession is operated by ECO Orient with a 60% stake, while Carnarvon Petroleum holds 40%.

Carnarvon makes progress

Carnarvon Petroleum is pushing ahead with work on L44/43, L33/43 and SW1 concessions in Thailand.

The drilling program is expected to include five to seven new wells. Around half of the planned wells are expected to be drilled following use of new 3-D seismic data on L33/43, with the balance being drilled in the adjoining L44/43 concession, Carnarvon said.

“The operator continues to undertake technical work on this active field with the view to further increase production levels in the future. This work includes planning for the acquisition of new 3-D seismic data expected to be acquired in late 2014 in L44/43,” the company said.

On the production front, Carnarvon planned to choke back high flowing wells to restrict field production to around the 4,000 bbl/d of oil gross mark. To date the operator has been successful in achieving this objective with the average production being around 4,000 bbl/d gross during April and May 2014. The process of restricting oil field production is progressing well and in line with the operator’s expectations, the company said.