Saturday, March 9, 2013

BHP to cut debt in asset sell-off | The Australian

BHP to cut debt in asset sell-off | The Australian

In the analyst briefings, Mr Kerr also raised doubts about the economics of the Browse project, notwithstanding BHP's exit.

According to analysts at the closed briefing, Mr Kerr said the exit from Browse was not a comment on the WA gas industry. It was said to have been more about the economics of the project not stacking up from BHP's perspective.

The Browse joint venture has to make a final investment decision by June.

BHP previously argued that on a net present value basis it would rather see Browse gas piped down to the Burrup Peninsula and used as backfill for its one-sixth-owned and Woodside-operated North West Shelf LNG project towards the end of the decade.

The same thoughts were behind the recent exit by Chevron, which sold its 17.5 per cent Browse stake to Shell in August. Shell wants Browse to be developed using floating LNG technology. Woodside recently gave joint-venture partners final cost and schedule estimates for the James Price Point development.

6 comments:

  1. That was very interesting.It seems the only fly in the ointment to Barnetts land slide victory is his stand on JPP.

    Last night in Kerry O'Brians wrap up he asked,"has Barnetts insistence on JPP lost the seat of Kimberley for the Liberals?"

    Bishop waffled on a bit,didn't really know,or admit,but agreed JPP was controversial.

    This morning I just caught the "final observations" on the early Insiders and one of the panel observed,"The Green vote in the Kimberley has increased by (20 something %),the Greens were the only party to oppose the JPP gas hub and this seems to have cost Labour the seat.It may go to the Nationals who are 3rd now but could win the seat on final preferences."

    More to come no doubt.

    The seats of Kimberley, Midland and Belmont, which are all held by Labor members, are still in doubt.

    Now from a local perspective will Ben Collins admit the gas hub played a part in this election?
    Or will "Mr Claytons" himself indulge in another load of wiffle waffle to keep the ABCs LNP connections happy,and ensure a place for himself at future Woodside BBQs?

    If nothing else happens,in a few days from now when the final result for the seat of Kimberley is in,we can thank Chris Maher for keeping Jenny Bloom out,and holding Jose Farrer to account,then Chris and the Greens will be well celebrated.

    Maybe it is still possible for Chris to win?
    I dont know,but what he has done,which is to put the gas hub firmly on the state politics agenda,will be a great boost to the campaign in the times ahead.

    Well done,a very well run and great campaign.

    Much respect from a lifetime Labour voter who has now turned a deep shade of Green.

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    Replies
    1. Read Mr.Ben"Claytons"Collins offering this morning and as expected more wiffle waffle.

      At least he will still be on Woodsides BBQ invite list.

      Delete
  2. Further to Coleman and Chaney's out of touch comments,not much "cooling" going on globally!

    ..

    Poms need more talent.


    The past couple of years have proven that several nations such as the UK are facing an engineering deficit, one that is poised to significantly hinder the engineering sector unless changes are made. This trend will have a ripple effect, greatly impacting the oil and gas industry – 66 percent of contractors and 62 percent of operations have difficulty recruiting skilled engineers in the oil and gas industry, according to a Labor Market Intelligence survey conducted by the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO).

    ...


    Malaysia's Oil, Gas Worker Needs to Rise amid Ambitious Growth Plans

    Hiring Spree Starts Amid Pressures to Deliver on Goals

    The Malaysian government noted that in order to deliver on its long-term oil and gas goals, it needs to develop its manpower infrastructure. In its report, the government disclosed that the country, alongside with state-owned and private enterprises, will be looking to hire over 60,000 workers by 2020.

    "A significant proportion of these jobs will be highly-skilled jobs, with an estimated 21,000 (40 percent) for qualified professionals such as engineers and geologists, with monthly salaries in the range of $1,618 to $3,236 (MYR 5,000 to MYR 10,000)," the report revealed.

    The Malaysian government pointed out that the bulk of its hiring efforts will be targeted at the country's oilfield services segment, liquefied natural gas (LNG) exploration and trading sector and its small field development strategy.

    ..


    Kitimat 'Right Project At Right Time' for Asian LNG Demand

    The British Columbian government supports LNG export terminals has a way to create economic growth and jobs in the province. Major progress has been made towards the BC Jobs Plans goal of having three LNG facilities operating in British Columbia by 2020, according to a report released this month by the provincial government. LNG development is currently expected to create an average 39,000 new full-time jobs during a nine-year construction period. As many as 75,000 new, annual full-time jobs could be created once all LNG plants are in full operation.

    Over the past year, approximately $6 billion has been invested to prepare and accelerate the province's natural gas sector growth prospects and an additional $1 billion to further LNG proposals. The number of large projects proposed has also risen to five from the two facilities proposed for development when the province's LNG strategy was released last year, according to the report.

    ..


    Cyprus: Frontier Exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean

    The Republic of Cyprus is hoping it will soon see similar success to Noble Energy's December 2011 discovery of the Aphrodite gas field off the eastern Mediterranean island's southern coast as further exploration activities in Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are set to take place.

    Cypriot Energy Minister Sylikiotis recently revealed that Total is expected to begin drilling in its blocks in 2014, with the construction of a terminal beginning in 2015. Meanwhile, Noble Energy has asked for permission from the Cypriot government to present its data from Block 12 to Total, ENI and Australian company Woodside Petroleum Ltd. In December 2012, Woodside bought a 30-percent stake in the Israeli Leviathan field, which borders Block 12.

    Noble has stated that Leviathan represents the largest exploration success in the company's history. Discovered in 2010, it holds gross mean resources of 17 Tcf of gas. Noble has a near 40-percent operated working interest in the discovery.

    "Noble seems to be in the driving seat with the Leviathan discovery in Israeli waters being next door to the Aphrodite discovery in Cyprus and [it] could even be the same reservoir," Hiren Sanghrajka, CEO of oil and gas consultancy Upstream Advisers, told Rigzone.

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  3. cont...

    "The Israeli discovery could be developed by producing to an onshore LNG plant on Cyprus or through an FLNG development."

    During the next three years, up to 10 exploration wells are expected to be drilled in Cypriot waters. But before then, this year will likely see Total and ENI work out and present plans for how they will acquire seismic data on their newly-purchased blocks.


    ..


    Iran, Iraq resume talks on gas deal

    Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi has started a new round of talks with Iraqi officials in Baghdad


    On Thursday, Qasemi met with Iraqi deputy oil minister Falah al-Ameri. The Iranian minister is scheduled to meet with Iraqi Electricity Minister Abdul Karim Aftan today.

    The Iraqi government has said it gave consent to a preliminary agreement to build oil and natural gas pipelines from Iran to Syria.

    Gas from the project would come from Iran and help support electricity for the Iraqi and Syrian markets. An oil pipeline would run from the southern Iraqi port of Basra and deliver about 1 million barrels of oil per day to the Red Sea port city of Aqaba.

    Iranian officials have said that Tehran also aims to extend the pipeline to Lebanon and the Mediterranean to supply gas to Europe.

    ..


    Shale Gas: The Courtship Begins in India, Algeria

    Two major shale gas opportunities emerge as Algeria seeks to maintain its exporter status by tapping into its unconventional resources and as India prepares to unveil a new shale gas policy and open bidding for some potentially lucrative blocks in at least six major basins.

    India: Shale Gas Blocks Up for Auction by December

    India thinks it’s sitting on massive shale gas reserves, and while it doesn’t have the necessary hydrocarbon policy in place, we’re nearing the final stage in this and investors may find a block auction by the end of this year.

    Shale Gas Reserves: Finding the Big Prizes

    The US Geological Survey estimates that India has 1.6 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable shale gas in the provinces of Bombay, Cauvery and Krishna-Godavari.


    ..


    Russia: Repsol and Alliance Oil begin commercial gas production in Russia

    Initial daily gas production is 855,000 cubic metres (5,350 boepd) from three wells
    The development of the field envisages a total of 11 operational wells by early 2014
    The field start-up is the first production project to be completed under the umbrella of the joint venture created for exploration and production in Russia
    The joint venture’s total output currently stands at 25,000 boepd
    Both partners are studying new opportunities in Russia
    Repsol and Alliance Oil have begun commercial gas production from the Syskonsyninskoye (SK) field in the Khanty-Mansiysk region of Russia, marking the first success of the A&R Oil and Gaz (AROG) joint venture created to explore for and produce hydrocarbons in Russia.

    Initial daily gas production is 855,000 cubic metres (5,350 barrels of oil equivalent per day) and is being delivered to the Gazprom transportation network. To date, 5 production wells have been drilled and 3 of them have been put into operation. Further development of the field in the coming year envisages drilling 6 more wells from 5 locations by early 2014. AROG’s total output currently stands at approx. 25,000 boepd and its proven and probable reserves amount to approx. 278 million barrels of oil equivalent.

    Repsol is increasing production worldwide based on the successful exploration portfolio built up over the last decade. In the last year, the company has added output from new projects in Brazil, Bolivia, the United States and Spain, and expects to start up the Kinteroni field in Peru this year. The company’s 2012-2016 Strategic Plan envisages annual production growth of at least 7% to reach 500,000 boepd in 2016.

    .....................

    There is no cooling is there.
    Things are getting hotter everywhere in many different ways.

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  4. THE SHALE GALE AND COLEMAN AND CHANEYS ONGOING STRANGE COMMENTS.
    NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED - HIGHLY UN-INTELLIGENT!

    (beginning to think there is more to this than meets the eye!a deep seated fear of woodsides exposure to a falling world oil price.the situation is getting worse for them and my guess is these desperate comments are aimed more at the potential investors they have lined up to lend billions for future planned projects,which due to their cost require a strong oil price to support them because the gas must be sold at a premium price to make them financially viable.rebellion is in the air and pretending they cant smell it wont cut it.and of course their pissed off shareholders looking at the "oil glut abyss")

    ..

    Thanks to Alan Kohler for some of these facts and figures.

    ...

    The Dow is soaring,as are other stock markets,powered by the new found freedom,recently discovered,that it is now possible to print untold money without having to worry about the old gold index.

    So why then are oil shares falling?

    China has overtaken the US as the worlds biggest oil importer,not because China is using more but because the US has boosted it's domestic production with so much with fraccing.

    ..

    "...The Petroleum Marketers Association of America estimates that by next year the US will be producing 11.4 million bpd of liquids because of the shale phenomenon, just shy of world leader Saudi Arabia's 11.6mbpd. Already industry experts talk about the US becoming self-sufficient in hydrocarbons because of shale - the world's biggest economy produced 81 per cent of its energy needs in the first half of this year..."

    ..

    BHP's perspective : "...BHP is one of the biggest players in the Eagle Ford, Permian, Hawkesville and Fayetteville shales, mostly in Texas, and has a massive drilling program to raise production from about 270,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day.

    The primary focus is the liquids-rich Eagle Ford shale, south-west of Houston, where it is trying to lift production from 60,000bpd to 300,000bpd-plus by 2016. It has 30 drill rigs there.

    To put that in perspective, BHP last year produced about 650,000bpd globally, including 215,000bpd in Australia and 90,000bpd in the Gulf of Mexico."

    ..

    The US Energy Information Agency has referred to the Canning as the biggest potential shale region in Australia, containing as much as 229 trillion cubic feet of gas.

    ..

    Reg Nelson MD of Beach says the Cooper Basin has recoverable reserves of 300 tcf.

    ..

    There are many basins and sub basins in Australia many of them have proven reserves of oil and gas.
    "Another Saudi Arabia"

    ..

    Despite all this it looks like when in 2016 the Gladstone trains begin exporting their LNG in ships bound for Asia,the Australian east coast will have a gas shortage resulting in domestic prices doubling at least.

    The answer it seems is to let market forces drive the rigs out into the basins to drill the thousands of wells needed to give us security of supply and affordable stable prices.

    There looks like a change of federal government in September but so far Martin Ferguson has been content to let this situation unfold by itself.Will an Abbott government be brave enough to employ a policy similar to WA's where 15% of gas must be put aside for domestic use?
    Quite likely NO.

    ..

    So the market forces are there globally to really drive this along,and Australia is right in it.

    China is thought to have the worlds biggest reserves of unconventional gas at around 1,600 tcf.

    Some South American countries come close to this figure.

    ..................

    So Woodside are worried if they see the truth and admit it there will be no backers for JPP.
    Simple as that.

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  5. Mental health study underway for remote workers

    Hannah Vickers
    Monday, 11 March 2013

    THE University of Canberra and the Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health are teaming up to look at the mental health and emotional wellbeing of employees in mining, resources and remote construction.

    ..


    Slugcatcher and the thunder of the oil mob stampeding for Australian shale acreage


    Monday, 11 March 2013


    WATCHING a mob work itself into a frenzy can be either frightening or exhilarating, but never boring. It is why Slugcatcher is getting a buzz watching how some of the world’s biggest oil companies are moving into Australia’s embryonic shale gas sector.

    ..


    INDIA GETTING ORGANISED ON SHALE.

    Come 2015-16, shale gas extraction from abundant but unexploited reserves (or underground shale formations) could well become a reality in India, in spite of several hurdles like lack of adequate infrastructure and tricky regulation.

    Should that come to pass, the country could catch up with the likes of the US and China which have been increasingly pursuing the natural energy resource.

    “Based on interactions with the ministry concerned, I can say that the shale gas policy is likely to be announced by this month-end. The allocation of blocks should begin sometime in June this year,” said a source dealing with shale gas-related issues.

    Several geophysicists have been exploring various modes to tap shale gas for years now.
    And several corporates, too, have been keen to foray into the sector which is still nascent in India.

    ..


    NEW QUATAR DISCOVERY.

    In its first gas discovery in some 42 years, Qatar yesterday announced the discovery of a new gas field, Block 4 North, which is estimated to contain about 2.5tn cubic feet (tcf) of recoverable gas.

    Block 4 North is a 544 sq km offshore acreage located in the “most prolific” hydrocarbon basin in the area, some 30 to 40km northwest of Qatar’s giant North Field, which was discovered in 1971 and that contains 900tcf of recoverable gas.

    This offshore block is in direct proximity to the North Field at a water depth of around 70 metres.

    Gas discovery in Block-4N has been made after four years of intensive exploration activities, including the drilling of two exploration wells.

    Al-Sada thanked QP, Wintershall, and Mitsui teams “for their dedicated and genuine efforts in successfully conducting professional exploration studies and safe operations, which have led to this gas discovery”.

    Wintershall CEO Rainer Seele expressed happiness with the results of the wells in Block 4 North.

    “Wintershall has been actively exploring in Qatar for more than 30 years and we are pleased with the results of the wells in Block 4 North,” he said.

    “We are looking forward to proving our capabilities as a reliable and technically competent operator and partner, and to extend the excellent working relationship with QP in this potential future development.”


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