The Dorado field offshore project proposal has been given the go-ahead by National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA).
By accepting the offshore project proposal (OPP), the door has been optioned for the sanctioning of the Dorado phase 1 liquids development.
Kevin Gallagher, Managing Director and CEO for Santos, said that the development is made more promising by recent discovery of the nearby Pavo field.
Santos holds an 80 per cent interest in Dorado and 70 per cent in Pavo, and acts as operator for both, with the remainder of both held by joint venture partner Carnarvon Petroleum.
Carnarvon Managing Director and CEO Adrian Cook said that developments like the Dorado field will play an important role in both meeting demand is the Asian region and assisting in Australia’s long term energy security.
“The scope of the OPP will allow for the tie-back of recent discoveries like Pavo, creating the potential for significant upside where other petroleum resources in Exploration Permits WA-437-P and WA-438-P are produced using the Dorado facilities,” he said.
“Our focus now is to finalise the concept for an integrated liquids and gas development and obtain the remaining approvals required to support a final investment decision.
“The best emergency reserve you can have for national liquid fuel security is oil in the ground and the infrastructure in place to produce it when you need it most.”
The fields are estimated to contain a collective 189 million barrels of liquid and 401 PJ of gas.
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