New Zealand Energy starts production at Tariki-5A

New Zealand Energy provided the preliminary results of the Tariki-5A gas development well and reported that the Tariki-5A well has been perforated and the production route to market commissioned.

Tariki-5A has been perforated over the top 8 m of the 20 m of gas bearing sand intersected and was opened to flow on 28 December. Limited by wellsite equipment and while unloading completion fluids, the well initially flowed at estimated rates increasing from 2–5.5 million cu ft per day. After about four hours of cleanup flow, the well flow was directed into the 35km pipeline to Waihapa Production Station. A full maximum flow test couldn’t be conducted with the wellsite limitations.

While a maximum flow rate test has not yet been carried out, the wellhead pressures, temperatures, flow rates and back pressures provide sufficient information for preliminary estimates. Tariki-5A is estimated to be able to deliver up to 12 million cu ft per day of gas and associated condensate to market.