Kipper

Location

The Kipper Unit straddles VIC/L25 permit and VIC/L9 permits, Gippsland Basin, in the coastal waters of Bass Strait, offshore south-east Victoria. 

Participants

Santos – 35%
Esso Australia – 32.5% (operator)
BHP Billiton – 32.5%

Overview

The Kipper field was discovered in 1986, and sanctioned in December 2007. When developed, gas from Kipper will be produced from four subsea wells via a local subsea manifold tie-in point, separately operated by the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture. From there, the gas will be transported via the existing West Tuna platform for processing at the onshore Longford gas plant.

Project status

The operator has advised that the Kipper gas field offshore production facilities, including wells, subsea equipment and pipelines were completed during the third quarter 2012.

Kipper gas will however not come on line until dedicated mercury handling facilities are installed. Detailed engineering studies to confirm the scope and cost of works for the facilities are underway and are expected to be completed mid-2013 to allow a final investment decision to be made in respect of these facilities.

First production

Subject to a final investment decision, the operator has advised that first gas from Kipper is most likely to be in the first half of 2016.