The company is operator and majority owner of the Surat Basin field with a 59.375% interest, while Origin Energy has a 40.625% stake.

The gas will be delivered into a contract with Incitec Pivot from wells located in several petroleum leases east of QGC’s existing Berwyndale gas field, including the Kenya development wells in PL 228.

Of the 15 development wells planned for PL 228, 11 have been drilled to date and six of those are ready for completion.

QGC managing director Richard Cottee described the early results as extremely encouraging.

“The Kenya wells have provided positive initial indications with several flowing gas and water during drilling,” he said.

“Kenya-1 is already producing enough gas to power its pump, flowing at 28,000 cubic feet per day.”

Cottee said his company expected to start delivering into the Incitec contract by March, instead of October, thanks to the early completion of essential infrastructure.

QGC has so far installed more than 26km of gas and water-gathering pipeline and 21km of lateral pipeline linking the new development wells to the Berwyndale South gas processing facilities.

In addition, four field compressors with a combined capacity of 36 terajoules per day – or 13 petajoules per year – have been delivered onsite. This brings Argyle-Kenya’s total capacity to 90PJ.