The Australian offshore safety authority NOPSEMA has invited public comments for Woodside’s proposed Scarborough development, which aligns with a vision for a regional gas hub in Western Australia.
Located in Commonwealth waters approximately 375 kilometres off the Burrup Peninsula, the Scarborough gas resource forms part of the Greater Scarborough gas fields, comprising the Scarborough, North Scarborough, Thebe and Jupiter gas fields.
The proposed development of Scarborough is an integral part of Woodside’s Burrup Hub vision for a regional gas hub which will secure economic growth and local employment opportunities for Western Australia,
…NOPSEMA said.
In addition to the development of the Scarborough and North Scarborough fields, the Thebe and Jupiter gas fields provide opportunities for future tieback to Scarborough infrastructure.
As the proposed export trunkline route crosses the Carnarvon Basin, in close proximity to other undeveloped fields, Woodside is also engaging with other resource owners to explore opportunities for future development.
Woodside is targeting a final investment decision in 2020 and for start-up in 2023. These are all subject to regulatory approvals and appropriate commercial arrangements.
The first drilling phase is targeted in 2020 followed by the installation of the trunkline in 2022, FPU installation in 2023 and phase 2 drilling (potentially including Thebe and Jupiter) in 2025.
The project area includes three zones:
- Offshore project area (the area covered by WA-1-R, WA-62-R, WA-61-R, and WA-63-R)
- The trunkline project area (the proposed trunkline route with a 1 km buffer either side)
- The borrow grounds project area (the proposed location for the borrow grounds from which stabilisation material from the export pipeline will be sourced).