UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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BHP BILLITON LIMITED (ABN 49 004 028 077) (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation)
180 LONSDALE STREET, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA 3000 AUSTRALIA (Address of principal executive offices) |
BHP BILLITON PLC (REG. NO. 3196209) (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
ENGLAND AND WALES (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organisation)
NEATHOUSE PLACE, VICTORIA, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (Address of principal executive offices) |
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24 April 2007
Number 13/07
BHP BILLITON QUARTERLY REPORT ON
EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
QUARTER ENDED 31 MARCH 2007
This report covers the company's exploration and development activities for the quarter ended 31 March 2007. Unless otherwise stated, BHP Billiton's interest in the projects referred to in this report is 100 per cent and references to project schedules are based on calendar years.
DEVELOPMENT
Also during the quarter, the Company finalised the acquisition of the Genghis Khan oil and gas development in the Gulf of Mexico. Genghis Khan's progress will now be reported each quarter.
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PROJECT AND OWNERSHIP |
SHARE OF APPROVED CAPEX US$M |
INITIAL PRODUCTION TARGET DATE |
PRODUCTION CAPACITY (100%) |
QUARTERLY PROGRESS |
|
Petroleum Projects |
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Genghis Khan Oil/Gas |
365 |
Mid CY07 |
55,000 barrels of oil per day |
Acquisition completed. Rig to be mobilised by May 2007 to complete the existing well. |
|
Atlantis South (US) Oil/Gas |
1,500 |
Under review, forecast 2H CY07 |
200,000 barrels of oil and 180 million cubic feet of gas per day |
Seven development wells have been drilled with six of these wells having been completed at the end of March. The Balder installation vessel has recommenced installing flow lines. |
|
Neptune (US) Oil/Gas |
300 |
End CY07 |
50,000 barrels of oil and 50 million cubic feet gas per day |
On schedule however drilling and construction costs are under review. The subsea oil and gas export and all well flow lines have been installed. Four wells have been drilled and completions are commencing. |
|
Stybarrow Oil/Gas |
300 |
Q1 CY08 |
80,000 barrels of oil per day |
On schedule however drilling and construction costs are under review. Two producing wells and two injector wells have been drilled and completed. Drilling of the fourth producing well has commenced. The FPSO hull has been delivered and the integration of topside modules and the mooring turret are progressing. Offshore installation activities are underway. |
|
North West Shelf Angel (Australia) Oil/Gas |
200 |
End CY08 |
800 million cubic feet gas per day |
On budget and schedule. Topsides and jacket fabrication progressing. |
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North West Shelf Train 5 LNG |
300 |
Late CY08 |
LNG processing capacity of 4.2 million tpa |
On schedule and revised budget as advised by the Operator. 10 of 17 module shipments have been received. Last module shipment is scheduled for May 2007. |
|
Shenzi (US) Oil/Gas |
1,940 |
Mid CY09 |
100,000 barrels of oil and 50 million cubic feet gas per day |
On budget and schedule. Hull and topsides fabrication continues. |
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Minerals Projects |
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Alumar - Refinery Expansion (Brazil) 36% Alumina |
725 |
Q2 CY09 |
2 million tpa |
On revised budget and schedule. Detailed engineering is 60% complete, procurement is 35% complete and construction stands at 10% complete. |
|
Koala Underground (Canada) Diamonds |
200 |
End CY07 |
3,300 tonnes per day ore processed |
On schedule and budget. During the quarter, underground tunnelling continued and the mine ventilation facilities were completed. Procurement is well advanced and engineering is complete. |
|
Ravensthorpe (Australia) Nickel |
2,200 |
Q1 CY08 |
Up to 50,000 tpa contained nickel in concentrate |
On revised schedule and budget. Construction has passed 90% complete with activities now focused on piping completion and electrical and instrumentation installation. Pre-commissioning and commissioning of various areas including the Compressor Plant and Ore Preparation facilities is in progress. First ore was delivered during the quarter. |
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Yabulu (Australia) Nickel |
556 |
Q1 CY08 |
45,000 tpa nickel |
The Yabulu Expansion is mechanically complete and commissioning will start ahead of delivery of feed from Ravensthorpe. |
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Iron Ore (Western Australia) Iron Ore |
1,300 |
Q4 CY07 |
20 million tpa |
|
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Iron Ore (Western Australia) Iron Ore |
1,850 |
1H CY10 |
26 million tpa |
The project was approved on 23 March 2007 and work has commenced. |
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Samarco Third Pellet Plant (Brazil) Iron Ore |
590 |
1H CY08 |
7.6 million tpa |
On schedule and budget. The pipeline is 75% complete with total project progress being 61% complete. |
MINERALS EXPLORATION
BHP Billiton continued to pursue global exploration opportunities for key commodities of interest utilising both in-house capabilities and the Junior Alliance Programme.
Grassroots exploration continued on diamond targets in Angola, Canada and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on copper targets in Australia, Chile, Mongolia, the DRC and USA; and on nickel targets in Australia, Russia and Africa. Exploration for iron ore, coal, potash and bauxite was undertaken in a number of regions including Australia, Brazil, Canada and West Africa.
PETROLEUM EXPLORATION
Exploration and appraisal wells drilled during the quarter or in the process of drilling as at 31 March 2007.
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LOCATION |
BHP BILLITON EQUITY |
STATUS |
|
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Gulf of Mexico |
44% BHP Billiton and operator |
Hydrocarbons encountered. Additional appraisal required. Plugged and abandoned. |
|
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Shenzi-6 - Side Track 1 |
Gulf of Mexico |
44% BHP Billiton and operator |
Drilling ahead. |
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Puma-2 |
Gulf of Mexico |
29.805% BHP Billiton (BP operator) |
Drilling suspended. Additional appraisal required. Temporarily plugged and abandoned. |
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Puma-3 |
Gulf of Mexico |
29.805% BHP Billiton (BP operator) |
Drilling ahead. |
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Torosa-2 |
Browse Basin |
8.33% BHP Billiton (Woodside operator) |
Hydrocarbons encountered. Under evaluation. Plugged and abandoned. |
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Sculptor-2 |
Dampier Basin |
16.67% BHP Billiton (Woodside operator) |
Hydrocarbons encountered. Under evaluation. Plugged and abandoned. |
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Sculptor-3 |
Dampier Basin |
16.67% BHP Billiton (Woodside operator) |
Hydrocarbons encountered. Under evaluation. Plugged and abandoned. |
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Calliance-2 |
Browse Basin |
20% BHP Billiton (Woodside operator) |
Drilling ahead. |
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Ruby-2 |
Trinidad and Tobago Block 3 (a) |
25.5% BHP Billiton and operator |
Dry hole. Plugged and abandoned. |
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Australia |
United Kingdom |
|
Jane Belcher, Investor Relations United States |
Illtud Harri, Media Relations South Africa |
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BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 |
BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209 |
The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia
| Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. |
| BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc | ||
| Date: 24 April 2007 | By: |
Karen Wood |
| Name: | Karen Wood | |
| Title: | Group Company Secretary |