Timi

Timi Sweet Gas Field Development Project

Location and Discovery

The Timi sweet gas field is located offshore Sarawak, Malaysia, approximately 252 km northwest of Bintulu and 202 km northwest of Miri.

Discovery and Development

The field was discovered in 2018 and is being developed as part of the production sharing contract (PSC) for Block SK318.

Operators and Partners

• Operator: Sarawak Shell Berhad (SSB), a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, with a 75% equity stake.
• Partners: Petronas Carigali (15%) and Brunei Energy Exploration (10%).

Final Investment Decision (FID)

The final investment decision (FID) for the Timi gas field development was taken on August 30, 2021.

Project Details

• Infrastructure:

  • The project includes the installation of a new unmanned wellhead platform (WHP) and the drilling of two production wells.
  • The WHP will be tied back to the existing F23 production platform operated by Shell through a new 80 km-long pipeline.

• Power Generation:

  • The Timi WHP will be powered by a solar and wind hybrid renewable power system, marking Shell’s first such facility in Malaysia. This aligns with Shell’s target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

• Platform Specifications:

  • The wellhead platform will comprise a 3,385 metric tonnes (Mt) jacket, an 836 Mt topside module with three well slots, and a 527 Mt brownfield integrated module (BIM).
  • The platform is about 60% lighter than a conventional tender-assisted drilling (TAD) wellhead platform.

• Substructure:

  • The substructure is 150 meters long and weighs 3,222 metric tons, making it the longest and heaviest substructure ever fabricated by Brooke Dockyard.

Production Capacity

The Timi gas field is estimated to have a peak production capacity of up to 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d).

Contractors Involved

• Brooke Dockyard and Engineering Works Corporation: Awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the fixed offshore structure of the Timi field development project. The company completed the mechanical works at their Demak Fabrication Yard in October 2022.

Connection to Existing Infrastructure

The gas produced from the Timi field will be evacuated through an 80 km pipeline to the F23 production hub, which is also operated by Shell. The F23 platform is located in 85m-deep waters offshore Sarawak and has been in operation since October 1983.

Environmental and Sustainability Aspects

The adoption of a solar and wind hybrid power generation system is part of Shell’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and align with its climate target of becoming a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050. Shell also aims to reduce its absolute emissions by 50% of 2016 levels by 2030.

Current Status

As of August 2023, gas production has started at the Timi platform, marking a significant milestone in the project.

Broader Context

The Timi project supports the future growth in the Central Luconia area off the coast of Sarawak and is part of Shell’s broader operations in Malaysia, which include other projects such as the Gumusut-Kakap and Malikai deepwater oil fields, and the upcoming Rosmari-Marjoram gas project.