Bach Ho

Bach Ho (White Tiger) Oil and Gas Field Profile

Location and Geology

The Bach Ho oil and gas field, also known as the White Tiger field, is located in the Cuu Long Basin of the East Sea, offshore due east of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The field is situated in shallow water with a depth of approximately 197 feet. The geology of the area is characterized by highly fractured granitic basement rocks, which are part of a rift zone developed during the Oligocene to Early Miocene. The granite and granodiorite intrusions date back to the Jurassic to Late Cretaceous period. The oil is hosted within these granitic rocks, which are overlain and surrounded by Upper Oligocene lacustrine shale source rocks.

History and Discovery

The Bach Ho field was discovered in February 1975 by Mobil, shortly before the Fall of Saigon. The field was later developed by Vietsovpetro, a joint Vietnamese-Russian entity, in the 1980s and 1990s.

Operation and Ownership

The Bach Ho field is operated by Vietsovpetro JVC, a joint venture between Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and Zarubezhneft, a Russian oil company. Vietsovpetro provides a range of services including exploration, production, logging and testing, operation and maintenance of offshore facilities, and more.

Production

The Bach Ho field began production in 1986 and reached its peak oil production of 267,370 barrels per day (b/d) in 2001. Since then, the field has been in steady decline. However, it still accounts for approximately 16% of Vietnam's daily oil output. Gas production from the field increased significantly with the completion of the Dinh Co gas processing plant in 1998 and 1999, and further with the installation of a new compression unit as part of the Rong and Doi Moi field gas recovery project in late 2010. The gas is supplied to power generation plants at Ba Ria and Phu My.

Infrastructure

The field utilizes several key infrastructure components:

• FSO-5: A non-automatic oil tanker (Floating Storage and Offloading vessel) designed, fabricated, and installed by PTSC. The FSO-5 has a length of 258.14 meters, a width of 46.4 meters, and a deadweight tonnage of 150,000 tons.
• Gas Compression Platform: Constructed by Samsung, this platform has been crucial for increasing gas production from the field.
• Pipeline: A 107-kilometer, 16-inch pipeline completed in 1995 allows associated gas to be brought ashore, reducing flaring and increasing gas production.

Reserves and Production Outlook

As of the latest data, the Bach Ho and Rong fields have recovered approximately 95.78% of their total recoverable reserves. Based on economic assumptions, production is expected to continue until the field reaches its economic limit in 2033.

Contractors and Suppliers

Several contractors have been involved in the development and maintenance of the Bach Ho field:

• Samsung: Designed, fabricated, tested, and installed the offshore gas compression platform.
• PTSC: Manufactured the FSO-5.
• London Marine: Provided the turret mooring system.
• Kavin Engineering: Worked on the BK-14 / BT-7 Wellhead Satellite Platform project.
• Jotun: Handled the painting of the facilities.

Economic and Regulatory Aspects

The economic viability of the field is closely tied to oil and gas prices, as well as the fiscal and regulatory environment in Vietnam. The field's cash flow, discount rates, inflation rates, and other economic assumptions are critical for determining its ongoing profitability.

In summary, the Bach Ho (White Tiger) oil and gas field is a significant contributor to Vietnam's oil and gas production, operated by Vietsovpetro JVC, and features complex geology and extensive infrastructure to support its operations.