Rosneft Starts Drilling for Gas Offshore Vietnam

Rosneft has started drilling exploration well PLDD-1X at Block 06.1 located offshore Vietnam.

The design depth of the well will be around 1380 m, while the sea depth in the area is about 162 m, the company announced Wednesday. The expected recoverable reserves of natural gas in the PLDD geological structure are estimated at 12.6 bcm, and 0.6 mt of gas condensate which can be developed by subsea completion and tied-back to the existing Lan Tay platform operated by Rosneft in Block 6.1.

The drilling will be performed using the HAKURYU-5 drilling rig owned and operated by Japan Drilling Co (JDC).

Following PLDD Rosneft will drill another exploration well in Block 05.3/11 also in the Nam Con Son basin.

“Incorporating the two wells into the same program will ensure synergy between the two projects and help reduce the timelines for implementation of the works, thus maximizing the efficiency of exploration projects at the company’s Vietnamese assets,” Rosneft said.

Rosneft Vietnam also plans to shoot broadband 3D seismic of its existing Block 6.1 operatorship later this year to enhance ongoing production recovery and explore potential in deeper prospects.

Rosneft Vietnam B.V. owns 35 percent of  Block 06.1 and is the project operator. The PSC area comprises two gas condensate fields – Lan Tay and Lan Do. The field's initial gas reserves are about 68 billion cubic meters. By June 2015, the block produced its 300-millionth barrel of oil equivalent (or more than 46 billion cubic meters of gas).

In Block 05.3/11, Rosneft Vietnam B.V. owns 100 percent of the project and is the project operator. The license area is located in the region with proven oil and gas content and infrastructure, and is adjacent to fields under development in Block 06.1. The resources of block 05.3/11 are currently estimated at about 40 billion cubic meters of gas and 9 million tons of gas condensate.