Oil and gas company Cooper Energy focused on southeast Australia, has said that its Sole gas project has passed a critical milestone.
The company said the milestone was achieved with the first flow of gas from the Sole gas field in the Gippsland Basin to the onshore Orbost Gas Processing Plant in Victoria for the second, and final, phase of commissioning.
"Gas produced by the field is being used to commission the plant’s raw gas processing facilities. Initial gas production and processing levels will be at small volumes. Gas production is expected to increase gradually as the second phase commissioning progresses towards completion and the performance of a full-rate production test," Cooper said Wednesday.
"Satisfaction of the commissioning activities will enable commencement of gas supply from Sole to the customers under long term contracts," it said.
Orbost Gas Processing plant is operated by Australia's APA Group which acquired the plant from Cooper Energy in November 2017, along with the export pipeline to the Eastern Gas Pipeline connection.
The agreement provided for APA to own, upgrade and operate the plant to process raw gas from the Sole gas field, and its adjacent Manta gas field.
APA in February said the plant would be processing gas from the Sole gas field in March. APA said the Sole gas was a much needed new
gas supply for eastern Australia.