ConocoPhillips Files Barossa Export Pipeline Environment Plan

Business & Finance

ConocoPhillips Australia and its joint venture partners SK E&S Australia and Santos have proposed to develop the Barossa gas field, located in Commonwealth Waters approximately 300 kilometers north-west of Darwin.

The development includes bringing gas and condensate from subsea wells to a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility via a network of subsea flowlines and risers. Initial processing would occur on the FPSO to separate the gas, water and condensate. The condensate would be transferred from the FPSO to specialised tankers for export. The resulting dry gas would be sent to Darwin via a new ~260 km pipeline connected to the existing Bayu-Darwin pipeline.

The Barossa project is fully described in the Barossa area development offshore project proposal, which was accepted by NOPSEMA in March 2018. This Barossa gas export pipeline installation environment plan is the first of a number of environment plans that will be developed under the Barossa offshore project proposal.

This environment plan specifically addresses installation of the gas export pipeline, which runs north-south from the Barossa gas field to the proposed tie-in location on the existing Bayu-Undan pipeline.

Installation activities include:
• pre and post lay surveys;
• pre and post lay span rectification;
• installation of the gas export pipeline and end terminals; and
• pipeline pre-conditioning activities.

The exact installation schedule has not been finalised, however installation activities are expected to occur between quarter 4, 2020 and quarter 1, 2024.

The total infield duration of the offshore installation activities is expected to be approximately nine months. The installation schedule is indicative only with exact timing and duration subject to a number of factors such as vessel availability, weather and sea state.