Exxon Close to Completing Development Drilling on the Hides Gas Field in PNG

ExxonMobil, operator of the PNG LNG Project, is close to completing development drilling on the Hides gas field in Papua New Guinea.

The eighth production well, G2 at Wellpad G, has encountered the Toro/Digimu reservoir and has been completed as a producer.

Results from the eight new production wells and the PWD well have been largely consistent with expectations, with all wells showing good pressure communication. The new structural, log and pressure data from all the wells will be used to update the Hides structural and reservoir models. This work, which is expected to be concluded in 2015, will help further define the Hides gas resources and distribution.

Rig 702 will now be moved to the Angore field to drill two further PNG LNG Project production wells, while Rig 703 is currently being mobilised to Wellpad F, to drill the Hides F1 Deep development/exploration well.

The PNG LNG Project is operated by ExxonMobil PNG Limited in co-venture with Oil Search Limited, National Petroleum Company of PNG, Santos Limited, JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation, Mineral Resources Development Company (representing landowners) and Petromin PNG Holdings Limited.

The PNG LNG shipped its first fuel in May this year to Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc. (TEPCO).