WA-472-P and WA-473-P Exploration Drilling
| Activity type | Drilling |
|---|---|
| Activity subtypes | |
| Lifecycle Classification | Exploration |
| Submitted by | Woodside Energy Ltd |
| Submission date | 13 November, 2015 |
| Subtype | New |
| Decision date | 23 December, 2015 |
| RMS ID | 3388 |
| Status | Finalised |
| Outcome | Accepted |
| Link to previously accepted EP | |
| Contact |
Ms Kate McCallum
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| Location map (click to enlarge) | |
|---|---|
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Woodside Energy Ltd proposes to drill up to three exploration wells by a semi-submersible drill rig that is moored, with associated support vessels.
Key activities are as follows:
Drilling of the top-hole sections using seawater with high viscosity sweeps
Installation and cementing of steel casing in the hole
Installation of the blow out preventer (BOP) on the wellhead and testing
Connection of marine riser between the BOP and the drill rig/drillship to provide a closed loop system for the recirculation of drilling fluids and drill cuttings from the well to the drill rig/drillship.
Drilling of bottom hole sections to the planned depth
Formation evaluation, may include cores, wireline logging and vertical seismic profiling (VSP) as required.
On completion plugging and abandonment of the well
The proposed activity area is located in permit areas WA-472-P and WA-473-P, offshore in Commonwealth waters approximately 66km and 200km north east of Dampier respectively. The proposed ‘Skippy Rock’ and ‘Buttons Crossing’ exploration wells are located in WA-472-P and the ‘Big Brooks’ exploration well is in WA-473-P. Two of the three wells may be required to meet permit work plan commitments issued under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth). The water depth at the proposed Skippy Rock location is approximately 60 m, Buttons Crossing is in approximately 85 m of water and Big Brooks is in approximately 90 m.
The proposed drilling activities are scheduled to commence in Quarter 1 2016. The drilling of each well is expected to take approximately 30-80 days, subject to mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) and vessel availability, the absence of unforeseen circumstances and favourable weather conditions.
Two support vessels will usually be supporting the MODU during drilling operations. At least one vessel will be on standby in the vicinity of the MODU. Supply vessels from Dampier Port will frequent the MODU at regular intervals, throughout the operations.
A 500 m radius exclusion zone will be in place around the drilling locations for the duration of the drilling program.