據油田技術4月21日消息稱，Esso Australia Pty Ltd（埃克森美孚澳大利亞公司的子公司）現在通過啟動吉普斯蘭盆地合資企業的西巴拉庫塔項目，向澳大利亞東部輸送天然氣。

西巴拉庫塔是澳大利亞東南海岸最大的已探明未開發天然氣田之一。在投資4億澳元后，該公司將提供天然氣供應，以幫助遏制澳大利亞南部和東部各州最早在2023年出現的潛在天然氣短缺。

埃克森美孚澳大利亞公司主席Nathan Fay表示:“西巴拉庫塔項目可能是這十年來東澳大利亞最大的國內天然氣項目，在我們50多年來為澳大利亞家庭和企業可靠供應天然氣的悠久歷史的基礎上進一步發展。”

吉普斯蘭盆地目前仍是東海岸國內市場最大的天然氣供應源。西巴拉庫塔氣田表明，它仍有能力為市場帶來實質性的新天然氣供應——巴斯海峽仍有很大的潛力。”

到本十年末，吉普斯蘭盆地將繼續擁有供應澳大利亞東南部三分之一國內天然氣需求的潛力。

Nathan說：“我們向澳大利亞提供可靠和廉價的能源有很長的歷史。我們已經投入了大量資金來維持我們的客戶——從重工業到冬季取暖家庭——所依賴的能源供應。”

曹海斌 摘譯自 油田技術

原文如下：

ExxonMobil begins delivering gas from West Barracouta

Esso Australia Pty Ltd (a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd) is now delivering gas to eastern Australia, with the commissioning of the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture’s West Barracouta project.

West Barracouta was one of the largest proven undeveloped gas fields off the south-eastern Australian coast. Following a AUS$400 million investment it will now deliver gas supplies to help curb the potential gas shortfalls predicted for Australia’s southern and eastern states as early as 2023.

"West Barracouta will likely be the largest domestic gas project for eastern Australia that comes along this decade, building on our long and proud history of reliably supplying gas used in Australian homes and businesses for more than 50 years," said ExxonMobil Australia chairman Nathan Fay.

“The Gippsland Basin remains today the largest single source of gas supply to the east coast domestic market. And West Barracouta demonstrates it still has the capacity to bring material new gas supply to the market - there is still plenty of potential left in the Bass Strait.”

By the end of this decade the Gippsland Basin will continue to have the potential to supply one-third of south east Australia’s domestic gas demand.

“We have a long history of supplying reliable and affordable energy to Australia and have invested significantly in maintaining this supply of energy that our customers, from heavy industries to families heating up their homes in winter, rely on,” said Nathan.