Yesterday afternoon Sydney-headquartered AWE said production tubing was being run into the main horizontal production section of the Tui-2H production well as part of the well’s completion operations and, during the past week, the 1850m of horizontal drainage hole was successfully completed with the running of a slotted liner.

At the completion of operations at Tui-2H, the semi-submersible Ocean Patriot rig will be relocated to continue drilling the Tui-3H well.

The Tui Area development is in PMP 38158 and about 50km off Taranaki. First oil is expected by June 30, with an anticipated production peak of up to 50,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).

Meanwhile, AWE has awarded a US$30 million (A$38 million) contract to a Technip-Subsea 7 joint venture for the project management, engineering, transportation, installation and pre-commissioning of the Tui’s flexible flowlines, risers and associated mid-water arch systems, coiled tubing gas-lift pipeline, spoolpieces, diverless connectors, and electro-hydraulic umbilicals and various associated components.

The contract will be executed by the joint venture teams based in Perth and Singapore, and by Technip’s operations and engineering centre in Houston.

One of Technip’s flexible pipe plants located in Le Trait, France, will fabricate the flexible flowlines and risers under a separate supply contract.