The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries hosted a virtual press conference and has indicated that BHP is currently drilling the Broadside well in TTDAA3. Minister of Energy, Franklin Khan said that this well will be the deepest in T&T’s history. The well will be over 20,000 ft deep and will be drilled in a water depth of over 6,000 ft.
The drilling is currently being undertaken by the Transocean Deepwater Invictus.
The Invictus has conducted all of BHP’s deepwater drilling activities in Trinidad and Tobago. To date, BHP has drilled 10 deepwater wells and has had success in 8, according to Sonia Scarselli, Vice President Exploration & Appraisal, BHP Petroleum.
Broadside is about 150km from land and is located in block TTDAA3.
Minister Khan said he was encouraged by BHP’s deepwater campaign and called them “pioneers” in hydrocarbon exploration in T&T.
He also said that by 2022/2023 gas production in T&T will stabilize at 3.8bcf/d and crude oil production will be 80,000 barrels/day.
At the press conference it was also announced that the installation of the Ruby platform was taking place simultaneously with the drilling at Broadside. At the Ruby site, six marine vessels are currently at work doing the installation.
The Ruby project when fully operational will produce 16,000 barrels of crude day. Production from Ruby is expected by November 2021.
BHP president, Vincent Pereira praised the heroic efforts of everyone to continue to move these projects under the COVID19 restrictions.