ConocoPhillips’ major Bayu-Undan gas condensate development is located in the Timor Sea joint petroleum development area (JPDA) between Timor-Leste and Australia. ConocoPhillips also has a joint venture with Origin Energy to produce LNG from coalbed methane basins in Queensland, Australia. Additional operations are located offshore Western Australia and offshore and onshore Australia’s Northern Territory.

Bayu-Undan
Operator: ConocoPhillips (57.2%)
Co-venturers: Eni Australia (11.0%), Santos (11.4%), INPEX (11.3%), Tokyo Electric and Tokyo Gas (aggregate 9.2%)
The Bayu-Undan gas condensate field, located within the Timor Sea JPDA, was discovered in 1995. Production commenced in 2004. Additional drilling for further field development began in 2009 and will continue until mid-2010, with the addition of four new production wells and one water disposal well upon completion. 

Athena (WA-17-L)
Operator: ExxonMobil (50.0%)
Co-venturer: ConocoPhillips (50.0%)
The Athena production licence (WA-17-L) is located offshore Western Australia and contains part of the Perseus Field that straddles the boundary with WA-1-L, an adjoining license area. Natural gas has been produced from these licences since 2001.

Australia Pacific LNG
Upstream – Operator: Origin Energy (50.0%),
Co-venturer: ConocoPhillips (50.0%);
Downstream – Operator: ConocoPhillips (50.0%),
Co-venturer: Origin Energy (50.0%)
In October 2008, ConocoPhillips closed on a transaction with Origin Energy, an integrated Australian energy company, to further enhance the company’s long-term Australasian natural gas business. The 50/50 joint venture, named Australia Pacific LNG, is focused on coalbed methane (CBM) production from the Bowen and Surat basins in Queensland, Australia, and LNG processing and export sales. Initial focus is on developing two trains, which are expected to process an estimated 4.5 million gross tons of LNG per train per year. In 2010, it was announced that the LNG facility site will be located near Laird Point on Curtis Island off Gladstone. In addition to its proximity to the gas feed supply and a deep water harbor, the site is located in an industrial precinct, providing opportunities for industrial synergies to minimize potential environmental impacts. ConocoPhillips’ share of the joint venture’s 2009 full-year average production was 84 MMCFD. Current production is sold into the Australian domestic market. CBM field development work is ongoing in parallel with front-end engineering associated with the planned LNG processing facilities.

Australia Facilities

Darwin LNG Facility
Operator: ConocoPhillips (57.2%)
Co-venturers: Eni Australia (11.0%), Santos (11.4%), INPEX (11.3%), Tokyo Electric and Tokyo Gas (aggregate 9.2%)
The Darwin LNG facility, located at Wickham Point, Darwin, was completed and began full operation in 2006, processing natural gas from the Bayu-Undan Field. The facility is expected to meet gross contracted sales of approximately 3 million tons of LNG per year for a period of 17 years. 

Australia and Timor-Leste Exploration and Business Development

Greater Sunrise
JPDA 03-19, 03-20; NT/RL2, NT/RL4
Operator: Woodside (33.4%)
Co-venturers: ConocoPhillips (30.0%), Shell (26.6%), Osaka Gas (10.0%)
ConocoPhillips has a 30 percent interest in the Greater Sunrise gas and condensate field located in the Timor Sea. Although agreement has been reached between the governments of Australia and Timor-Leste concerning sharing of revenues from the anticipated development of Greater Sunrise, there are key challenges to be resolved before significant funding commitments can be made, including concluding arrangements in relation to the floating LNG concept with the joint venture, seeking governmental approval of the development concept and establishing fiscal stability arrangements. Activities during 2010 will focus on progressing the floating LNG development concept through Australian and Timor-Leste government regulatory approvals and into the design phase.

Caldita/Barossa 
NT/P61 and NT/P69
Operator: ConocoPhillips (60.0%)
Co-venturer: Santos (40.0%)
The NT/P61 and NT/P69 permits are located offshore Northern Territory, in the Timor Sea approximately 160 miles northnorthwest of Darwin. A technical evaluation to define the size and quality of natural gas accumulations has been completed and geological and geophysical studies continued through 2009 to refine the geological model over the permits.

Browse Basin
WA-314-P, WA-315-P and WA-398-P
Operator: ConocoPhillips(60.0%)
Co-venturer: Karoon Gas (40.0%)
The permits are located in the Browse Basin, offshore Western Australia, approximately 300 miles north of Broome. In 2006, ConocoPhillips farmed into permits WA-314-P and WA-315-P and jointly acquired permit WA-398-P with Karoon in 2007. The Endurance 3-D seismic survey was completed in 2008. A multi-well drilling program commenced in early 2009 and is scheduled for completion mid-2010. The first well, Poseidon-1, was a significant discovery. Poseidon-2, the initial appraisal well for the discovery, was drilled in late 2009 and early 2010. Poseidon-2 encountered hydrocarbons in some of the same sands that were seen in the discovery well. While ConocoPhillips is encouraged by the results of the initial discovery well, Poseidon is a large, complex feature that will require a series of appraisal wells to determine both size and potential commerciality. The drilling program has continued with the Kronos-1 well in permit WA‑398-P. In addition, a large 3‑D seismic survey was completed over the discovery in March 2010. Planning will commence during 2010 for Phase II exploration and appraisal drilling, which is scheduled to begin in early 2011.

Find out more at …
Darwin LNG 
Australia BU site