Shell Australia approved for Bratwurst-1 wildcat

Shell Australia has been granted approval from the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) for the drilling of proposed wildcat Bratwurst-1 in Ashmore Cartier permit AC/P64 in the Browse basin off Western Australia.

The well will be drilled in 155 metres of water about 160 kilometres north-east of Shell’s Prelude floating facility. The well is expected to be spudded in midyear and take about 45 days to complete.

Shell says Bratwurst is a gas-condensate prospect and will be drilled by a semi-submersible rig supplied from the company’s base in Broome.

The well will then be plugged or suspended if further appraisal is required. A discovery has the potential for a tie-back to the Prelude FLNG facilities, which began production earlier this year.

The NOPSEMA approval includes potential for future side-tracking and testing in the event of a discovery.

Source: Oil & Gas Journal