Carnarvon mobilises rig for Buffalo-10 off Timor-Leste

Sydney-listed Carnarvon Energy on December 22 announced that the Valaris JU-107 jack-up drilling rig is currently en route to Buffalo-10 offshore Timor-Leste. Drilling is expected to commence within a week.

Buffalo-10 is to be drilled within the TL-SO-T 19-14 production sharing contract in around 30 m water depth. The well is being drilled to test for the presence of commercial quantities of hydrocarbons that could ultimately result in a re-development of the field, Carnarvon said. The well is estimated to take around 35 days to complete. 

The field was discovered in 1996 by BHP and produced from 1999 to 2004, with the last well, Buffalo-9, being drilled in 2002. In 2005 the lease on the FPSO ended, and coupled with declining production rates, increasing water cut and decreasing gas availability for gas-lift, the field was abandoned. All wells were plugged and abandoned, and the infrastructure removed.

Carnarvon acquired the permit containing the Buffalo field in 2016 and holds a 50% interest.