BHP Explores Orphan Basin

BHP OFFSHORE NEWFOUNDLAND

BHP Group Limited has been successful in its bids to acquire a 100% participating interest in, and operatorship of, two exploration licences for blocks 8 and 12 in the offshore Orphan Basin in Eastern Canada.

Ms. Geraldine. A. Slattery has been President of Operations Petroleum at BHP Group Limited since March 18, 2019. Geraldine Slatter and the BHP team believe the successful bids are an exciting opportunity for BHP to explore for world-class conventional oil assets as an early mover in this prospective region.

This frontier opportunity has large oil resource potential which we identified through our Global Petroleum Endowment Study in 2016 and is in a low-risk country with competitive fiscal terms.

This opportunity delivers on BHP’s exploration focus in conventional petroleum and will leverage their global deep-water development and operational expertise.

BHP’s aggregate bid amount of US$625 million covers the drilling and seismic work required by the exploration work programs under the licence agreements over the six-year term. BHP’s minimum commitment under the licence agreements is for US$157 million.

BHP: Rig Required To Drill Orphan Basin

BHP Petroleum (New Ventures) Corporation (BHP) plans to undertake a drilling program in the Orphan Basin Region, offshore eastern Newfoundland and Labrador (Exploration licenses EL1157 and EL1158). It is anticipated that the initial campaign will consist of two wells, approximately twelve months apart. Subject to regulatory approval, drilling activity is anticipated to begin between July 2021 and July 2022. Accordingly, BHP seeks Expressions of Interests from interested contractors who can demonstrate the capability to deliver the following goods and services.

Supply To BHP

At BHP suppliers will become pre-qualified for a specific scope of work or service during the Request for Proposal (RFP) process (for work over $250k). BHP will be reviewing the local market to identify new suppliers. As a check and prior to issuing a RFP, BHP will be posting an Expressions of Interest (EOI) in NOIA’s daily e-newsletter, which is distributed to 600+ member companies. Newfoundland companies are encouraged to become NOIA members and review all EOIs to determine if they can provide the services.

By responding to the EOI, BHP will engage with the local company and may request information to determine competency in the area. If the company is found competent, they will be invited to participate in the RFP and the ­­­pre-qualification process for that good or service will begin. If the company is not found competent, feedback will be provided on the gaps assessed.

WHO IS BHP?

BHP is a world-leading resources company. BHP extracts and processes minerals and oil and gas, with more than 62,000 employees and contractors, primarily in Australia and the Americas. BHP products are sold worldwide, with sales and marketing led through Singapore and Houston, United States.

BHP global headquarters are in Melbourne, Australia with offices around the globe and have now expanded into Eastern Canada as an offshore exploration investor.

BHP operates under a Dual Listed Company structure with two parent companies (BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc) operated as if they were a single economic entity,  referred to as BHP.

BHP PETROLEUM UNIT

BHP Petroleum unit comprises conventional and unconventional oil and gas operations and includes exploration, development and production activities. BHP has a high-quality resource base concentrated in the United States and Australia. Core production operations consist of conventional assets located in the US Gulf of Mexico, Australia and Trinidad and Tobago and unconventional Onshore US assets. BHP produces crude oil and condensate, gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs) that are sold on the international spot market or delivered domestically under contracts with varying terms, depending on the location of the asset.

SOURCE & GRAPHICS:  BHP