Roc Oil: First Oil From Beibu Field in 2013 (China)

Roc Oil (China) Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of ROC, advises that following conclusion of the exploration drilling and receipt of NDRC approval of the Beibu Project Overall Development Plan, the final phase of construction (currently 89% complete) and development drilling for the WZ6-12 and WZ12-8 West Oil Field Development areas has commenced.

On 18 November, CNOOC’s subsidiary COOEC1 Heavy Lift Vessel (HLV) Lanjing successfully lifted the Project’s first Module Support Frame (MSF) on the PUQB2 platform jacket structure adjacent to the CNOOC WZ12-1 Platforms complex . This platform is the last major component to the Project being a processing, utility and quarters platform jointly shared with other CNOOC-Zhanjiang owned and operated areas. The Hook-up and Commissioning (HUC) of the PUQB will commence on completion of the final lift and first Beibu Field production is anticipated early 2013.

Following successful completion of the ROC operated exploration programme, CNOOC-Zhanjiang, as development operator, has now commenced the ten well base development programme using CNOOC’s subsidiary COSL2 HYSY 931 jack-up drilling rig, located over the WZ6-12 Wellhead Platform . It is planned to complete and tie-in the successful A6 well drilled through the WZ 6-12 wellhead platform during the exploration campaign and the economics of the A7 well are currently under evaluation. Planning for additional development drilling from the WZ 6-12 wellhead platform is underway to account for the discovery of additional pay zones in the WZ 6-12N-1 exploration well.

During 2012 the project’s two unmanned wellhead platforms (WHP), WZ6-12 and WZ12-8 West, and the PUQB jacket and topsides were constructed in COOEC’s Tanggu fabrication yard in Northern China. Following sea transport from Tanggu to the Development area, a distance of approximately 3,300kms, the three project jacket structures and the WHP topsides were piled and then lifted into place by COOEC’s vessels. Offshore commissioning of the WZ12-8 West platform is complete and WZ6-12 HUC is expected to be completed within a month.

The intrafield pipeline system consisting of two 9.6km length of 12″x18″ insulated oil pipelines, have been installed, hydro-tested and tied-in. The work will be 100% complete following the final PUQB topside tie-in.

The production from WZ6-12 and WZ12-8 West fields will be through a three-phase flow pipeline, to the PUQB at CNOOC’s WZ12-1 producing/pipeline platforms complex. On PUQB, oil, gas and water will be separated and the oil exported ashore via the existing CNOOC-Zhanjiang WZ12-1 production and pipeline facilities. The Beibu oil will be stored at facilities on Weizhou Island prior to transport to market and the gas utilized into the CNNOC transportation system. Waste water will be re-injected into existing water injection wells, ensuring this offshore project has zero environmental discharge during normal operations. The onshore and offshore construction phases have been completed safely generating approximately 2.7 million man hours without a Lost Time Injury (LTI).

[mappress]
November 21, 2012