Malampaya Deep Water Gas To Power Project-Drilling and Completing the Limit

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ABSTRACT The Malampaya field development comprises subsea wells in 820 meters water-depth producing via a subsea manifold and two 16 inch diameter inconel clad flowlines to a shallow water platform 30 km distant. Condensate is removed on the platform and the dry gas is then transported via a 504 km long 24 inch export pipeline to an onshore gas plant at Tabangao (Batangas, Luzon Island) for extraction of H2S. The condensate is stored in the platform CGS Caisson prior to export via a short 3 km long 24 inch diameter pipeline and CALM buoy (Fig 11). The Malampaya Deep Water Gas to Power Project in the Philippines has delivered first gas as advertised on October 1st 2001. The gas production is from five high rate deep water subsea gas wells. This paper summarises the delivery of the wells, in particular, the specific challenges that had to be surmounted to deliver high quality wells whilst remaining within the tight Malampaya project schedule. These challenges related to the deployment of leading edge well technology systems in an environmentally pristine and remote area. This within a country with extremely limited petroleum infrastructure and very long supply lines. The definition and management of good performance within this context and the management of the many interfaces with other disciplines working concurrently required unique ways of working to be established. Within the technical arena, many novel solutions were adopted with respect to rig modifications, drilling with losses, management of hydrates, horizontal Xmas trees, monobore well completions, coiled tubing perforating from a semi-sub well test clean-up and extensive/detailed planning. Organisationally, a working atmosphere was developed based on open, detailed and relentless inter-team challenge. This led to drilling and completing, genuinely to the "limit" of what was achievable for Malampaya. INTRODUCTION Malampaya, developed and operated by Shell Philippines Exploration BV (SPEX), is the first and only gas development in the Philippines. The five subsea wells are the first link in a production chain that supplies 30% of the mainland power requirements. In each well, high deliverability and high availability are critical from day one and throughout the full 25 year field life. There are no other fields that can supplement any shortfall in well performance. Planning was initiated in Houston in late 1998 and moved to Singapore and Manila in mid-1999. Offshore execution started in early-2000 and was completed by September 2001. Innovative business processes and technical solutions were employed in "striving for excellence" in an environment characterised by a very short planning time and a multitude of project interfaces. The Malampaya gas wells were handed over to the production team, on time and within budget. They have been proven capable of production rates exceeding 120MMscf/day. Included in this paper are the key highlights from planning, drilling, completing and commissioning the Malampaya gas wells.