Apache Corporation has said that the oil production has begun at the Van Gogh development in Production License WA-35-L in the Exmouth Basin, offshore Western Australia.

The company said that Van Gogh, discovered in 2003, is its first field development utilizing a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The field was developed with 19 horizontal production laterals, two water injection wells and one gas injection well.

The total horizontal interval drilled for all of the production wells exceeds 106,000ft (32km). The Ningaloo Vision FPSO has capacity to process 150,000 barrels of liquids per day, including 63,000bopd, and store 540,000 barrels of oil.

Initial production from Van Gogh highlights Australia’s role in Apache’s worldwide production growth. Pyrenees, another Apache Exmouth Basin oil development, operated by BHP Billiton Petroleum, is scheduled to come on line during the first half of 2010. The two projects are expected to add combined peak production of 40,000 barrels per day net to Apache.

In 2011, Apache expects to commence production from the Reindeer Field discovery through the Devil Creek processing plant. Devil Creek is forecasted to increase Western Australia’s domestic natural gas production capacity by up to 20%.

Apache has also agreed to supply gas from its Julimar and Brunello discoveries to Chevron’s Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub and become a foundation equity partner in the project, unlocking an estimated 2.1 trillion cubic feet of gross gas reserves from two of Apache’s largest discoveries. Apache holds a 65% interest in the discoveries. A final investment decision on the first phase of the Wheatstone project is slated for 2011.

Apache, the Van Gogh field operator, owns a 52.5% interest in the Van Gogh field with Inpex owning the remaining interest. Van Gogh is located 32 miles (53km) north-northwest of Exmouth.

Rod Eichler, co-chief operating officer and president – International, said: “Production from Van Gogh is projected to ramp up during the first half of the year, making a significant contribution to Apache’s growth in 2010.”

Apache plans to invest nearly $1bn in Australia during 2010, funding exploration and a range of projects that includes Van Gogh, Pyrenees, Julimar/Wheatstone and Reindeer/Devil Creek.