The project partners secured all the regulatory approvals required for the drilling of the Ironbark-1 well
BP operates the exploration permit WA-359-P with 42.5% stake. (Credit: Kristina Kasputienė from Pixabay)
Australia’s National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) has approved the drilling of British oil and gas company BP-operated Ironbark-1 exploration well offshore Western Australia.
With the move, all the regulatory approvals have been secured by BP required for the drilling of the Ironbark-1 well in exploration permit WA-359-P.
The Ironbark prospect is located in exploration permit WA-359-P, which is situated in the Carnarvon Basin, around 50km from the North West Shelf (NWS) LNG infrastructure.
As per the Cue estimates, the Ironbark prospect holds 15 trillion cubic feet (TcF) of gas reserves.
BP operates and owns 42.5% in the permit. Other partners include Cue Energy (21.5%), Beach Energy (21%), and New Zealand Oil & Gas (15%).
Drilling at the Ironbark-1 well is planned to start in late October
Drilling activities at the Ironbark-1 well is planned to commence in late October 2020 using the Diamond Offshore-owned Ocean Apex drilling rig.
In a press statement, Cue Energy said: “The Well Operations Management Plan and the Safety Case for the Ocean Apex drilling rig were the final regulatory documents required to be approved by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA). Both of these documents have now been approved.”
The Ironbark-1 well is expected to be drilled at a depth of 5,500m.
In July, BP secured environment plan approval from the NOPSEMA for the Ironbark-1 exploration well.