RAMPING up downstream activity west of its traditional base, eastern States energy heavyweight Origin Energy is simultaneously extending its WA upstream influence with an energetic spring-summer exploration and production program in the Perth Basin.
RAMPING up downstream activity west of its traditional base, eastern States energy heavyweight Origin Energy is simultaneously extending its WA upstream influence with an energetic spring-summer exploration and production program in the Perth Basin.
In eastern Australia, Origin has two million gas and electricity customers and is continuing its expansion there, most recently negotiating to purchase output from two of Pacific Hydro’s wind projects.
In January next year Origin will add a slice of the South Australian residential electricity market to its portfolio.
The company will also deliver its own Otway Basin gas into South Australia, via the SEA gas pipeline, which will link Victoria and South Australia from October 2003.
This 630-kilometre pipeline is under joint development by Origin and Australian National Power.
Origin, which set up in WA three years ago, has also constructed more than 30 cogeneration plants throughout Australia.
In WA it is a partner in the Southwest Cogeneration joint venture, following the $70 million purchase of 50 per cent stakeholder Fletcher Challenge South West Co-generation last year.
The unincorporated joint venture supplies electricity to Western Power and steam and power to the Worsley alumina refinery from a 120 megawatt gas-fired cogeneration facility.
Origin’s WA upstream interests are in the Bonaparte and Perth Basins.
An equal partner with Arc Energy in the onshore L1 Hovea oil and gas field, Origin has just brought the Hovea 3 oil well into production, 12 months after oil first flowed from Hovea-1.
The constrained current daily pro-duction of 1,440 barrels of oil from Hovea-3 is destined for BP in Kwinana.
The company also spudded Jingemia-1 earlier this week with seven partners, including Hardman and Australia Worldwide Energy.
The company has a 49 per cent interest in this well, also in the onshore Perth Basin, and holds a 28.75 per cent interest in the northern Perth Basin offshore WA 226P Morangie-1 well, to be drilled by Apache Energy mid-month.
Following Jingemia-1, Origin and Arc Energy may take the Century Rig 24 back to the Hovea field to drill Hovea-4 and Hovea-5 by year’s end, an Origin spokes-man said.
Depending on the availability of a seismic vessel, and the outcome of Morangie-1, Origin also planned to shoot more 3D seismic during the first quarter next year, he said.
Origin would also concentrate on seismic interpretation of L1 and L2, with a view to more activity in the first quarter next year.
The company’s main WA exploration and production focus was currently on the Perth Basin, the spokesman said.
“Our acreage spread there is a good as anyone’s and we’re happy with what we’ve got,” he said.
Nothing in the Perth Basin had previously rivalled the success since last year of Beharra Springs and now the Hovea wells, he said, and Origin had turned away hopefuls chasing farmins to its existing acreage.
Morangie is considered similar to CliffHead in structure, while Jingemia has been likened to Hovea, so the interest is not unexpected, but the spokesperson was adamant Origin was “not keen to farm out anything”.
Regarding further acreage or company generation and pipeline developments in WA, the spokesman said Origin would always consider anything that presented as a good business opportunity.
A strategic stake in AlintaGas has been rumoured by some as such an opportunity.
In all 63 per cent of Origin’s gas reserves are in South Australia and south-west Queensland, with more than half committed to long-term take-or-pay contracts.
In eastern Australia, Origin has two million gas and electricity customers and is continuing its expansion there, most recently negotiating to purchase output from two of Pacific Hydro’s wind projects.
In January next year Origin will add a slice of the South Australian residential electricity market to its portfolio.
The company will also deliver its own Otway Basin gas into South Australia, via the SEA gas pipeline, which will link Victoria and South Australia from October 2003.
This 630-kilometre pipeline is under joint development by Origin and Australian National Power.
Origin, which set up in WA three years ago, has also constructed more than 30 cogeneration plants throughout Australia.
In WA it is a partner in the Southwest Cogeneration joint venture, following the $70 million purchase of 50 per cent stakeholder Fletcher Challenge South West Co-generation last year.
The unincorporated joint venture supplies electricity to Western Power and steam and power to the Worsley alumina refinery from a 120 megawatt gas-fired cogeneration facility.
Origin’s WA upstream interests are in the Bonaparte and Perth Basins.
An equal partner with Arc Energy in the onshore L1 Hovea oil and gas field, Origin has just brought the Hovea 3 oil well into production, 12 months after oil first flowed from Hovea-1.
The constrained current daily pro-duction of 1,440 barrels of oil from Hovea-3 is destined for BP in Kwinana.
The company also spudded Jingemia-1 earlier this week with seven partners, including Hardman and Australia Worldwide Energy.
The company has a 49 per cent interest in this well, also in the onshore Perth Basin, and holds a 28.75 per cent interest in the northern Perth Basin offshore WA 226P Morangie-1 well, to be drilled by Apache Energy mid-month.
Following Jingemia-1, Origin and Arc Energy may take the Century Rig 24 back to the Hovea field to drill Hovea-4 and Hovea-5 by year’s end, an Origin spokes-man said.
Depending on the availability of a seismic vessel, and the outcome of Morangie-1, Origin also planned to shoot more 3D seismic during the first quarter next year, he said.
Origin would also concentrate on seismic interpretation of L1 and L2, with a view to more activity in the first quarter next year.
The company’s main WA exploration and production focus was currently on the Perth Basin, the spokesman said.
“Our acreage spread there is a good as anyone’s and we’re happy with what we’ve got,” he said.
Nothing in the Perth Basin had previously rivalled the success since last year of Beharra Springs and now the Hovea wells, he said, and Origin had turned away hopefuls chasing farmins to its existing acreage.
Morangie is considered similar to CliffHead in structure, while Jingemia has been likened to Hovea, so the interest is not unexpected, but the spokesperson was adamant Origin was “not keen to farm out anything”.
Regarding further acreage or company generation and pipeline developments in WA, the spokesman said Origin would always consider anything that presented as a good business opportunity.
A strategic stake in AlintaGas has been rumoured by some as such an opportunity.
In all 63 per cent of Origin’s gas reserves are in South Australia and south-west Queensland, with more than half committed to long-term take-or-pay contracts.
