Esso proposes to undertake a series of geophysical and geotechnical surveys within seven existing production licence areas in the Gippsland Basin of eastern Bass Strait. The survey program is required to inform a number of prospective future developments in the Gippsland basin. These include:
Development of the West Barracouta (BTW) gas field (VIC/L1) which is part of the existing Barracouta gas field and located approximately 6 km southwest of the existing Barracouta platform (in VIC/L2)
Potential plug and abandonment activities at a number of existing wells located in VIC/L1, VIC/L2, VIC/L3, VIC/L5, VIC/L18 and VIC/RL1
Potential drilling activities inside VIC/L9.
The survey program is planned to commence initially in the first quarter of 2018 at the BTW location and will continue intermittently over a maximum six month period. Survey activities are likely to occur over a 2 to 15 day period at each of the locations within each of the licence areas. Water depths within the licence areas vary from 36 to 89 m.
Geophysical methods proposed are based on conventional techniques and include:
Single beam echo sounder (SBES)
Multi beam echo sounder (MBES)
Side scan sonar (SSS)
Sub bottom profiler (SBP) including Ultra high resolution (UHR)
Magnetometer.
Geotechnical sampling potentially includes:
Rotary core sampling to 80m below the seabed
In situ penetration testing to 80m below the seabed
Piston coring or vibracoring between 3 to 6m below the seabed
The proposed survey program will be completed in two stages using two different vessels. Stage 1 involving the geophysical survey will commence at BTW and then progress to the additional licence areas. Stage 2 involving the geotechnical survey will also commence at BTW, approximately two months after the commencement of the geophysical survey and then also progress to the additional licence areas.