The Beryl gas field is planned to be developed using the Helang platform. Credit: Inpex.
Beryl gas field is located in Block SK 10 offshore Malaysia. Credit: JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation.
First gas from Beryl is expected in November 2018. Credit: Ken Doerr.

Beryl Gas Field is located in Block SK10 off the shore of Sarawak, Malaysia, near the Helang gas field and Layang oil field, which are located within the same block.

Block SK10 is operated by JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration (Malaysia) (NOMA), a joint venture (JV) comprising JX Nippon Oil Exploration Limited (78.7%), INPEX CORPORATION (15%) and Mitsubishi Corporation (6.3%) with a working interest of 75%.

Petronas’ subsidiary Petronas Carigali holds the remaining 25% interest.

The Beryl field development plan (FDP) was approved by Petronas in October 2017 and first production is expected in November 2018.

The gas field is expected to produce approximately 23,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day (boed), which is equivalent to 140 million metric standard cubic feet a day (Mmscf/d) of natural gas.

Block SK10 location and field details

Block SK10 is located off the shore of Sarawak and contains the already-producing Helang and Layang fields, which were initially discovered in 1990 and 1991 respectively.

The Beryl gas field was discovered between 1976 and 1978 and lies in a shallower part of the block.

Production from the Helang field originally commenced in November 2003, while the Layang field began producing in June 2017.

Beryl gas field geology

The Beryl gas field covers a total area of 600km² within the SK10 Block.

“Block SK10 is located off the shore of Sarawak and contains the already-producing Helang and Layang fields, which were initially discovered in 1990 and 1991 respectively.”

It is of the Pleistocene age and consists of sedimentary segments of shales and sandstones.

The Beryl field area trends east-west, while the north side is noted to have a step-like appearance.

Exploration and appraisal on Beryl

Beryl gas field has been explored via the drilling of six wells, including four that discovered hydrocarbons.

The remaining two wells two did not encounter any hydrocarbons.

Well no.6 encountered the most significant hydrocarbon play, comprising 55ft of gas reserves at a depth of 4,450ft.

Beryl gas field development details

Beryl gas field is planned to be developed using the existing infrastructure at the Helang gas field.

The produced natural gas, along with that from the Layang and Helang fields, will be transported via existing subsea pipelines to the Malaysia LNG Sdn. Bhd. Tiga Sdn. Bhd. (MLNG Tiga) liquefaction plant, located onshore Bintulu, Sarawak.

Details of the Helang platform

The Helang platform consists of a single central processing platform (HCP), which contains facilities for gas production and exportation.

Its topside features a single integrated deck unit, in addition to a 9,000t living quarters facility that is able to accommodate 50 people.

The platform also includes facilities to export gas and condensate through a pipeline to the onshore MLNG Tiga site.

Details of the MLNG Tiga liquefaction plant

The MLNG Tiga facility forms part of the Malaysia LNG complex, which also includes Malaysia LNG Sdn. Bhd. (MLNG) and Malaysia LNG Dua Sdn. Bhd. (MLNG Dua).

It is located towards the eastern region of the complex.

The facility consists of two LNG liquefaction facilities, an LNG storage tank and a LNG loading jetty located south of the MLNG, as well as an MLNG Dua jetty on the Bintulu port.

The fully air-cooled facility uses pre-cooled propane mixed refrigerant (MR) liquefaction process technology.

It is also equipped with GE-7 gas turbines to run the propane, as well as MR compressor trains.

The Tiga facility transports gas and associated condensate via two parallel 36in-diameter pipelines.