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Bayu-Undan

Bayu-Undan is a shallow-water gas-condensate development in the Timor Sea, comprising bridge-linked fixed platforms, an unmanned wellhead platform and the Liberdade FSO. Liquids production began in 2004, followed by pipeline gas export in 2006. The complex stands in roughly 80 metres of water, with dry gas sent to Darwin LNG and condensate, propane and butane exported by tanker.

Operator: Santos

Status: Operational

Bayu-Undan platform photo

Production: Gas

Operations start: 2004

Water depth: 80 m

Country: Timor Sea

Block: JPDA 03-12, JPDA 03-13

Type: FSO

Field

The field lies on the Sahul Platform within the Bonaparte Basin, approximately 250 kilometres south-east of Timor-Leste. It is a large gas-condensate accumulation hosted by Middle Jurassic sandstone reservoirs of the Elang and Plover formations, deposited in paralic to shallow-marine settings. Development combined gas recycling and liquids recovery with long-distance gas export, using fixed well centres rather than subsea production wells.

Facilities

Bayu-Undan’s central production and processing complex consists of the bridge-linked Drilling, Production and Processing platform and Compression, Utilities and Quarters platform. A flare bridge extends from the production platform. The normally unmanned WP1 wellhead platform, approximately seven kilometres east, was designed as a 14-well drilling centre and sends production to the central complex through in-field pipelines. Published development descriptions identify ten production wells, four gas-injection wells and two water-injection wells. The initial gas-recycle process separated condensate, propane and butane from the rich gas stream and reinjected dry gas for reservoir support. The facilities incorporate production separation, liquids recovery, gas compression and injection, water injection, metering, power generation, central control, accommodation and permanent flare and safety systems. Later gas-export service allowed treated dry gas to leave the complex rather than being wholly recycled. Dry gas was transported through the multi-diameter Bayu-Undan Gas Export Pipeline, approximately 502 kilometres long, to the Darwin LNG plant at Wickham Point. Near the offshore complex the line is 28 inches, transitioning to 26 inches for the long subsea route. Condensate and LPG are transferred to the purpose-built FSO Liberdade, moored about two kilometres from the platforms. Its six cargo tanks store condensate, propane and butane separately before tanker offloading. The fixed platforms have no major liquid-storage or tanker-loading function.

Bayu-Undan layout
Image Source: https://www.laohamutuk.org/OilWeb/Company/phil66/introduction.htm. (All rights belong to the original owner.)

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