Premier begins development of BIGP gas fields

Premier Oil Natuna Sea BV signed on October 10 an engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract with PT Timas Suplindo for the development of the Bison, Iguana and Gajah Puteri (BIGP) gas fields at Natuna Sea Block A, offshore Natuna Island.

Upstream oil and gas authority SKK Migas said in a statement on Thursday that the signing of the EPCI contract marks the start of the development of the three gas fields.

?This is a very important progress for the project,? said SKK Migas Head of Communications and Program Division, Wisnu Prabawa Taher in the statement.

The statement said that the scope of the EPCI covers modification works at the Pelikan platform facilities: WHP, Naga WHP, GB CPP, and AGX. The project covers the development of three subsea wells each at the Bison, Iguana and Gajah Puteri fields, at a depth of around 80 meters from sea surface.

SKK Migas said that output from Bison and Iguana fields will be transmitted each via an 8-km and 6-km pipeline to the Pelikan platform before going to be processed at the Gajah Baru CPP.

Meanwhile, output from the Gajah Puteri field will be transmitted through a 42-km pipeline to the AGX platform with control system from the Naga platform.

SKK Migas said that the BIGP gas development project will increase gas reserves by around 80 bcf, with maximum production rate of 60 mmscfd, and condensate around 1,100 bopd.

The authority said that the project is expected to be completed at the end of the third quarter of 2019, and start gas production, to meet exiting gas sales commitment.

Natuna Sea Bock A PSC is operated and 65 percent owned by Premier with the remaining 35 percent owned by Mitsui Oil Expl. Co.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak