Eni Australia Limited operates the Blacktip facilities, approximately 300 km west-south-west of Darwin, located in Lease Area WA-33-L, within Commonwealth waters in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. The field commenced production in 2009. The facilities consist of a well-head platform, two producing wells, flowlines and a subsea gas export pipeline bringing gas, condensate and produced water to the Yelcherr Gas Plant near Wadeye in the Northern Territory. Additionally, stabilised condensate is stored on site at the YGP before being exported via subsea 12” Condensate Export Pipeline to a Single Point Mooring, located approximately 7 km offshore in Commonwealth waters, for loading to tankers and subsequent transport to market.
The Operational Area includes the Blacktip WHP, the Gas Export Pipeline (GEP) from Blacktip WHP to the Territory water boundary, the SPM and the Condensate Export Pipeline (CEP) from SPM to the Territory water boundary.
Blacktip Operations activities are generally limited to WHP normal (unmanned) production operations, which is controlled via telemetry from the YGP Central Control Room (CCR); inspection, maintenance and repair activities to topsides; inspection, maintenance and repair activities to subsea infrastructure (including surveys such as side-scan sonar, diving and Remotely Operated Vehicle); periodic tanker vessel off-takes of condensate from the SPM; and rigless well intervention activities.
Eni propose to drill a third development well in the field using a jack-up mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU), cantilevered over the WHP. The schedule for this drilling activity will be subject to rig availability and further consultation, however it is anticipated in 2020.
The WHP is designed to operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, on an ‘unmanned’ basis. Blacktip field has an estimated production life of 25 years and an installation design life of 30 years.