Natural gas production has started from the South Belut gas field in the South Natuna Sea, ConocoPhillips-operated block B in Indonesia, says partner, Japan’s Inpex.
Block B is about 1200 km north of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. South Belut, in about 100m water depth, about 15 km south of the North Belut field, is expected to have a potential of natural gas production at a rate of about 120MMscf/d (about 20,000 boe/d).
The development is an eight-well subsea tie back to the North Belut central processing platform. The final investment decision for the field was made in October 2011, and its development started in April 2012.
In addition to South Belut, block B holds the Belida oil field, the Belanak oil and gas field, and the Tembang, Hiu, Kerisi, North Belut, and Bawal gas fields.
Natural gas produced from the field will be supplied to Singapore via an existing international pipeline, together with the natural gas produced from Belanak, Bawal, and Tembang. LPG produced from the Field will be sold into the Indonesian domestic market.
Inpex is a partner (35%) in the block with ConocoPhillips Indonesia (40%), the operator, and Chevron South Natuna B (25%).
Background
Crude oil production began in 1979 from block B, and supplies of natural gas to Singapore via Indonesia's first international pipeline started in 2001, says Inpex. Additional deliveries of natural gas from this pipeline to Malaysia started in 2002. These supply milestones contributed to the extension of the production sharing agreement covering the block until 2028.
Production operations at Belanak use a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) system. Production of crude oil and condensate started in December 2004, with LPG production starting in April 2007. At this same block, production began at Hiu, Kerisi, and North Belut from 2006, as well as Bawal in July 2012.