Expect Tiphuk gas by May 2025, says Oilmax
Mumbai-based Oilmax Energy is gearing up to produce as much as 200,000 cm/d of gas from its Tiphuk field at AA/ONDSF/TIPHUK/2021 in Assam.
"Production should begin within about eight months (by May 2025)," says an Oilmax source. On July 15 (2024), Oilmax carried out an "extended well test’ on well LLKM-268 after an extensive geological and geophysical analysis of the available seismic, petrophysical and drilled well data.
"The test was carried out with a 4-mm bean and yielded a maximum flow rate of 25,000 cm/d with a tubing head pressure of 118-kg/cm2 and a casing head pressure of 158-kg/cm2," says our source. Oilmax integrated the results with available data and "re-evaluated the field", which led to identifying "additional zones" over the known reservoirs.
Our Oilmax source stresses this holds "good potential" for the future as "we expect that the pay limits may be larger for some reservoirs and additional prospects might be generated." Oilmax now needs consent to operate from local authorities to mobilise a rig to carry out workover operations at two wells, after which it will install X-Mas trees before beginning production.
"We plan to produce from two (existing Tiphuk) wells over ten years," we hear. To transport the gas, Oilmax will lay an 8-inch diameter 4-km pipeline from the outer flange to an old Assam Gas pipeline for supply to customers.
Oilmax won AA/ONDSF/TIPHUK/2021 under DSF-3 and signed an RSC on September 9 (2022). Assam authorities granted Oilmax a PML on July 12 (2023), after which work began.
The field covers 21.37-sq km in the Assam Shelf basin near the Lakwa, Lakmani, Sonari, Safrai, Banamali, Laiplingaon and Kuargaon oil and gasfields. Oilmax will receive the government-fixed price of $6.50/mmbtu for Tiphuk gas.
However, the price realisation would have been better if Oilmax had linked to the upcoming Indradhanush Gas Grid (IGGL), which connects Assam and other northeastern states to the national gas grid. "IGGL’s main line is laid, but many compressors have yet to be installed," we hear.
Several spur lines must be laid. "Without these, gas sellers (from the northeast) will not have national reach," we hear.