Premier Oil has started drilling operations at Natuna, offshore Indonesia, using the jack-up drilling rig HAKURYU-11, according to rig owner Japan Drilling Company (JDC).
JDC was awarded a drilling contract by Premier Oil Natuna Sea in November last year. The contract covered four wells, over 173 days, offshore Natuna.
Once it has finished work in Indonesia, the rig is due to move to Vung Tau, offshore Vietnam, where it has a contract with PetroVietnam Drilling & Well Services Corporation to drill five wells over about 300 days, and one option for an additional well.
Premier Oil acquired its first operated acreage in Indonesia, Natuna Sea Block A in 1996. The Natuna Sea Block A consists of four separate producing fields which have been developed via a combination of platforms and subsea tie-backs to the Anoa facility and the Gajah Baru wellhead platform and central processing platform.
Premier currently delivers gas into Singapore and the domestic market from its fields on Natuna Sea Block A under several gas sales agreements (GSAs). Premier seeks to backfill these long term contracts by bringing on-stream discovered but undeveloped resource on Natuna Sea Block A.
Premier Oil says Natuna Sea Block A contains a number of discovered gas fields, including Macan Tutul, Lembu Peteng and Lukah, which were discovered in 2006, as well as Bison, Iguana and Gajah Puteri.