Over 36 years after being discovered, the Iguana gas field in Block 1(a) is on track to begin production in 2018. Local drilling contractor, Well Services Petroleum Company Limited (Well Services), has announced the completion of a three-well development campaign for the Iguana field, which is owned and operated by DeNovo Energy Limited (DeNovo).
DeNovo, a local start-up upstream company, implemented a fast-track development plan for Iguana when they acquired Block 1(a) from Centrica Plc. in April 2016, with first gas expected in under three years. The Well Services Rig 110 completed the drilling campaign in July 2018, and also installed the subsea structure for the conductor-supported Sea Swift platform which was specifically designed for shallow water marginal field developments. Gas produced from the Iguana field will be transported via a 45-km multiphase pipeline to Point Lisas for onshore gas processing before being sold to The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC). Production is expected at 80 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) and will augment NGC’s supply of gas to the downstream petrochemical sector. Iguana is the first gas development campaign offshore Trinidad's west coast, and the Iguana pipeline is the first gas pipeline on the west coast to be run to the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.
According to DeNovo Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Joel M. C. Pemberton, ‘Our industry continues to evolve, and adapting to the new global operating environment where commodity prices are expected to be lower for longer will require strong collaboration amongst all stakeholders for the common good. DeNovo is focused on monetising proven stranded natural gas reserves for the benefit of all stakeholders, and is committed to safely increasing production using technology, and sharing ideas and solutions in a positive, collaborative environment with our strategic partners for the ultimate benefit of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
‘The Rig 110’s mat-supported structure made it the ideal choice for drilling in the west coast,' explained Pemberton, ‘which allowed the rig to become the first in the region to safely install a platform subsea structure. The platform installation time and support requirements were significantly reduced and the collaborative efforts between both organisations is a testament to DeNovo’s and Well Services’ ability to evolve and adapt to new ideas for offshore developments’.
‘Increasing onshore and offshore oil and gas production is essential for the energy industry’s competitiveness and sustainability’, said Well Services Managing Director, Anthony Brash. ‘We need to invest in more drilling campaigns, but this can only be supported with optimised operations across the value chain where all stakeholders work together in the best interest of Trinidad and Tobago’, he added.
The Rig 110 is the first local jack-up rig to be used in a gas development in Trinidad and Tobago, and according to Brash, ‘Well Services’ competitive operational costs and highly experienced crews have created a strong track record for onshore and offshore drilling in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, St. Lucia and Barbados. The Rig 110 underwent safety and integrity upgrades prior to starting the Iguana development and this provides further proof of our capability to provide a premier rig that is fit and ready to undertake upcoming developments across the region’.