Publication Name: Eastern Australian Basins Symposium III (EABS 2008)
Authors: K. Bradey, K. Hill, D. Lund, N. Williams, T. Kivior and N. Wilson
Date Published: September 2008
Number of Pages: 8
Abstract:
First discovered in 1986, deep in the equatorial jungle of the PNG Fold Belt, the Kutubu oil field has produced over 300 MMbbl since 1992, making it the biggest oil discovery in Eastern Australasia over the last 30 years (Fig. 1). The field has outperformed its original life expectancy, which has been a major achievement for all the companies and people involved in production and exploration. ‘Difficult’ is an understatement. Exploration is severely hampered by the extremely rugose topography, which is covered by dense jungle sprouting from the karstified limestone surface. Nearly everything has to be heli-lifted: seismic drills, crews, dozers and drilling rigs, which quickly escalate the cost to a stage where US$40 million for a well seems relatively cheap.