PTTEP set to imminently spud its latest wildcat in search of gas

Thailand’s national upstream company PTTEP will shortly construct its newest wildcat on Block SK 438 off the coast of Sarawak, East Malaysia, where the Company’s goal is to discover additional gas reserves for possible cluster development or linking to existing assets .

Next will be exploration well Bangsawan-1, which will be drilled with Velesto Energy’s Naga 3 jack-up rig, and the drill could be spinning as early as Monday.

Shallow water block SK 438 is located approximately 108 kilometers off the coast of Bintulu, Sarawak. PTTEP operates the area with an 80% interest on behalf of its sole partner – Malaysia’s national upstream company Petronas Carigali – which holds the remaining 20% ​​interest.

Blocks SK 314A, SK 438 and SK 405B comprise PTTEP’s southern Sarawak cluster, where the Company is contemplating potential hub development, likely utilizing some of the existing infrastructure in the vicinity. Block SK 438 also borders on operator blocks SK 309 and SK 311.

Block SK 438 hosts the operator’s 2021 Kulintang-1 gas discovery, while Block SK 405B hosts the 2021 Sirung-1 oil and gas discovery.

The Malaysian-flagged vessels JM Ehsan, Sealink 178 and Sealink 179 are supporting the Bangsawan-1 drilling campaign, which is expected to be completed around July 12.

Upstream had reported on April 28, 2022 that the Bangsawan property was on PTTEP’s radar for drilling later this year or in 2023.

In parallel with this wildcat, the Thai operator is conducting ground drilling surveys on four of its blocks off the coast of Malaysia. The vessel Sapura Wira will begin its program on Block SK 438 where it will probe the site of PTTEP’s planned exploration well Babadon-1.

The Sapura Wira will then move to Block SK 410B, which contains the multi-trillion cubic foot Lang Lebah gas field. PTTEP hopes to make the final investment decision for Lang Lebah later this year.

Ground investigation work here will include the announced locations for the central processing platform, living quarters, wellhead platform 2 and the Lang Lebah flare platform.

If this survey campaign goes according to plan, the vessel will next proceed to Block SK 405B to survey the site of the planned Satong-1 exploration well before returning to Block SK 410B and the site of the Lang Lebah-3 well in the Malaysian Coast Guard.

Next, the Sapura Wira has around 12 days of work at the PTTEP producing block SK 309 before heading back to block SK 405B to investigate the Sirung discovery site.

The operator drilled the Sirung-2 prospect earlier this year, which was drilled by Borr Drilling’s Gunnlod drilling rig. Results are not known to have been reported for this appraisal well, but the Wildcat discovery encountered a significant column of oil and gas in excess of 100 metres.

Block SK 405B lies in shallow waters approximately 137 kilometers off the coast of Bintulu. PTTEP’s partners here are the Japanese companies Moeco (Mitsui) and Petronas Carigali.

Partners in the block SK 410B production sharing agreement are the operator PTTEP, Petronas Carigali and Kufpec.

PTTEP’s latest ground drilling campaign is scheduled to conclude on July 31st.