Developing Vital Energy Resources

We’ve been a part of Australia’s history for more than 50 years. While we are proud of our achievements to date, we are building a new legacy. Looking ahead, we’re investing in the future. Our exploration and appraisal program is an important part of that future investment.

Energy is not a luxury – it's the foundation for economic growth. And by investing in the future, we're helping to build economic prosperity both here in Australia and around the globe. Right now, we’re undertaking our biggest ever drilling campaign in Australia.

Investing in the Search for New Energy

Globally, Chevron allocated US$2 billion for 2009 and 2010 on an aggressive oil and gas exploration program. Underpinning this pursuit is the knowledge that discoveries eventually become long-term energy producers. In 2011, Chevron Australia is continuing to invest hundreds of millions of dollars annually into exploration and appraisal activities offshore north Western Australia. This region is recognised as one of the most prolific areas for gas resources in the world and is a key exploration focus area for Chevron, along with the Gulf of Mexico, offshore western Africa and the U.S. Gulf of Thailand.

In May 2011, Chevron Australia took delivery of the Atwood Osprey drill rig. The rig is a sixth generation ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rig able to conventionally moor in up to 2,438m (8,000 feet of water) and accommodate up to 200 people. 

Asia-Pacific is Rich with Opportunities

As we aspire to build an Asia-Pacific gas business here in Australia, we will continue to expand our already substantial holdings. We hold the largest natural gas resource position in Australia in the prized offshore North West Shelf region. Our operated interest spans more than 47,000 square kilometres of acreage and our non-operated interests across more than 16,000 square kilometers - including our 17 percent participation in the North West Shelf Venture.

Our campaign involves deepwater semi-submersible drilling in the Greater Gorgon Area, Exmouth Plateau and the Wheatstone area.

A History of Success

Our latest natural gas find, Acme-1, represents one of 10 discoveries in 12 months offshore Western Australia.

In terms of net gas pay, Acme-1 is one of our most significant natural gas discoveries in Australia.

We attribute our on-going success to a combination of significant exploration funding, the quality of our drilling program and a commitment to technical excellence and safe operations.

North Western Australia Exploration Timeline

15 December 2011 Natural gas discovered at the Vos-1 well, located in the Exmouth Plateau area of the Carnarvon Basin, approximately 300 kilometres from Exmouth. This marks the 12th exploration discovery since mid 2009.

28 October 2011 Natural gas is discovered in the WA-205-P permit area, approximately 150 kilometres from Onslow.

8 July 2011 Chevron successfully bids for the exploration rights of blocks WA-455-P and WA-456-P in the Carnarvon Basin, approximately 80 kilometres northwest of the WA coastline.

10 February 2011 Orthrus-2 a deep pool exploration well located in the WA-24-R permit area approximately 100 kilometres (60 miles) northwest of Barrow Island.

17 August 2010 Acme-1, representing Chevron's ninth discovery in 12 months offshore Western Australia is announced. In terms of net gas pay, it is considered one of our most significant natural gas discoveries in Australia.

13 August 2010 Brederode-1 exploration well located within the WA-364-P permit area approximately 350 kilometres northwest of Onslow.

14 July 2010 Sappho-1 exploration well, located in the WA-392-P permit area approximately 140 kilometres northwest of Onslow. 

7 July 2010 Clio-3 discovery well located in the WA-205-P permit area approximately 150 km northwest of Onslow.

27 Jan 2010 Yellowglen-1 natural gas find located in the WA-268-P permit area.

15 Dec 2009 Satyr-1 exploration well, located in the Carnarvon Basin offshore WA.

19 Oct 2009 Achilles-1 exploration well, located in the WA-374-P permit area in the Greater Gorgon area.

19 Aug 2009 Clio-2 discovery well (located in the WA-205-P permit area approx 150km north-west of Onslow) and Kentish Knock-1 discovery well (located 300km north-west of the WA coastline in the WA-365-P permit area.

17 Aug 2009 Deepwater exploration permit awarded to Chevron with gas potential offshore WA.

10 Nov 2008 2D marine seismic survey in exploration permit WA-383-P with contracted seismic vessel the M/V Pacific Sword.

10 Jul 2008 Extension of the lago gas field located 80 miles (130km) offshore north-west Australia in permit WA-16-R.

19 Feb 2007 Exploration rights to acreage in the Greater Gorgon Area.

9 Nov 2006 Clio-1 exploration well, located 150km off-shore north-west Australia in permit WA-205-P.

15 Aug 2006 Chevron is the operator and will hold a 50 percent interest in WO5-13, which is located 160km north-west of the Western Australian coast in the Exmouth Plateau region.

31 Jan 2006 Exploration rights to offshore block WO5-16 in the Carnarvon Basin, in the Greater Gorgon Area off the north-west coast of WA.

4 Jul 2005 Exploration rights to four deepwater blocks with significant natural gas potential in the Carnarvon Basin, offshore WA.

24 Aug 2004 Wheatstone-1 well, located about 200km north of Onslow.

25 Jan 2001 The lo-1 wildcat well, in Exploration Permit WA-267-P, located off the north west coast of Western Australia, west of the giant Gorgon field.

 

Technical Excellence

In May 2011, Chevron Australia took delivery of the Atwood Osprey drill rig. The rig is a sixth generation ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rig able to conventionally moor in up to 2,438m (8,000 feet of water) and accommodate up to 200 people.

It is a purpose-built rig, which underpins Chevron Australia’s long-term commitment to find, appraise and develop Australian gas resources for domestic and international markets. The rig is involved in drilling exploration wells as well as drilling development wells for the Gorgon Project. The development drilling program scheduled for 2011 and 2012 represents the most significant investments Chevron has made in development drilling activities offshore Western Australia.

The Atwood Eagle, another rig contracted to Chevron Australia for the current drilling program, is a semi submersible rig with a maximum water depth of 5,000 feet and a drilling depth of 25,000 feet. Successful discoveries would be linked to facilities already operating or being planned – in turn providing substantial benefits to Australia.

Gorgon

In 2009 and 2010, the extensive drilling program contained several commitment exploration wells within various permits in the Greater Gorgon area.  The work to prepare for this program involved extensive seismic processing and interpretation, geological modelling and detailed well planning.

For Chevron Australia, these gas finds represent long-term activity undertaken to mature exploration prospects via a mixture of desk-top studies and acquisition and analysis of seismic data. And while the gas finds in the Greater Gorgon acreage support the company’s long-term growth plans for Gorgon, our drilling successes underpin Chevron’s plan to build an internationally competitive gas business to supply energy to Australia and the Asia Pacific.

Wheatstone

In 2009 and 2010, work continued to focus on appraisal and resource maturation of the Wheatstone and Iago fields.
The 2008-09 appraisal program (seven wells and two well tests) successfully acquired data and information to consolidate resource estimates to support the decision to enter the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase in 2009.

Exmouth Plateau

In the Exmouth Plateau, Chevron (as Operator) and Shell Development (Australia) Pty Ltd hold six frontier permits: WA-364-P, WA-365-P, WA-366-P, WA-367-P, WA-383-P and WA-439-P.

During 2009, the focus of exploration activity was the drilling of two exploration wells in WA-365-P to satisfy the year 3 work program commitment. In 2010, the Brederode-1 discovery was made in WA-364-P and further drilling is planned in WA-439-P with the Vos-1 commitment well.
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