Overcoming COVID challenges in project execution – West Barracouta

Abstract

The West Barracouta (BTW) field, one of the largest proven undeveloped gas fields off the south-eastern Australian coast, commenced production in April 2021. The project was developed by Esso-BHP Gippsland Basin Joint Venture (GBJV), a 50–50 JV between ExxonMobil’s subsidiary Esso Australia and BHP Petroleum. The BTW gas field is situated ~6 km south west of the existing Barracouta gas field and platform, the first GBJV platform in Bass Strait. The BTW development involved drilling two subsea production wells, installation of umbilical controls from the existing platform and installation of a ~6 km subsea flowline to connect to existing gas pipeline via a hot tap. The BTW team successfully navigated through engineering, fabrication, testing, mobilisation of an international team and installation of the facilities in a COVID environment. The paper shares insights on how to: manage fabrication impacts with closures and restricted workhours to minimise disruption to the project; complete videoconference Hazid Identification Risk Assessment workshops across different geographical locations; develop and execute methodology for distributed component integrated testing with hardware located in different geographical locations; complete remote inspections, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT)/verification using videoconference; complete enhanced familiarisation and testing activities at shorebase, prior to offshore installation, given restrictions in overseas travel/access to FAT locations; and safely manage installation personnel to ensure continuity of activities in a COVID environment, e.g. platform, installation vessel and diver COVID requirements.