BG brings Rosetta onstream in record 45 months and confirms Sapphire discovery
Frank Chapman, Chief Executive, BG Group, said, "BG set out to bring this major gas project to completion in record time. In the final analysis, we have succeeded in exporting the first gas from Rosetta in less than 45 months from the drilling of the first discovery well in this new offshore province.
"This project will play an important role in underpinning security of the country's future gas supply and demonstrates BG's commitment to Egypt through developing its natural gas industry."
Rashid Petroleum Company (Rashpetco), a joint venture operating company formed by the Egyptian General Petroleum (EGPC), BG Group, Shell, and Edison International developed the Rosetta field.
Gas from Rosetta is supplied to EGPC under a 25-year Gas Sales Agreement signed in October 1997. Commercial production commenced on 31 January. Production will rise to 275 MMcf/d of gas.
The initial stage of the $330 million Rosetta development consists of six wells tied back to a ‘not normally manned' platform with a 66 km gas/condensate pipeline to the onshore terminal, located near Idku 50 km east of Alexandria. Gas is exported by pipeline into the Egyptian gas grid and condensate is exported by pipeline to a gathering point at Abu Qir, 15 km east of Alexandria.
BG Group operates with a 40% interest with Shell holding 40% and Edison International 20%.
Additionally BG announced its Sapphire-2 appraisal well has confirmed an earlier discovery. The company drilled the well north of Rosetta in the West Delta Deep Marine Concession and confirmed the presence of significant volumes of condensate in the Sapphire accumulation. During drill stem testing the well flowed at 33.2 MMcf/d of and 755 b/d of condensate. The flow rate was constrained by the testing equipment.
Sapphire-2 marks the eleventh consecutive successful well drilled in the Concession since 1998. BG operates West Delta Deep Marine with a 50% interest. Edison controls the remaining 50%.
BG has had 16 exploration and appraisal successes over the past four years in the neighboring Rosetta and West Delta Deep Marine concessions, both located offshore the Nile Delta.
Edited by Frederick Parnell