I. Geographical location
The coastline of the mainland is about 19000 km long. The whole continent is generally below 600 meters above sea level except for a few mountainous areas with an altitude of more than 2000 meters, and the terrain is low and gentle. Generally, it is divided into two parts: the western plateau of the Australian mainland at an altitude of 200-500 meters, mostly desert and semi-desert, and some mountains at an altitude of 1000 meters or more; The central plain is below 200 meters above sea level, and the lake surface of North Aier Lake is 16 meters above sea level, which is the lowest point in Oceania. The eastern mountainous area is 800 ~ 1000m above sea level, with steep eastern slope and gentle western slope. New Guinea, New Zealand's North Island and South Island are all mainland islands with narrow plains and many mountains above 2000 meters above sea level. Puncak jaya on the new guinea is 5030 meters above sea level, which is the highest point in Oceania. Most islands in Melanesia belong to continental type, which is the continuation of the arc-shaped mountains on the continental margin. There are deep-sea basins and deep-sea trenches between island arcs. Most of the islands in Polynesia and Micronesia belong to coral reef type, with small area and low terrain. Many islands have lagoons surrounded by coral reefs, which become natural ship berths and water airports. In addition, there are a few volcanic islands formed by the accumulation of submarine volcanic eruption materials, such as Hawaiian Islands, Palau Islands, Solomon Islands, New hebrides and so on. It is characterized by high mountains, dangerous terrain and numerous natural harbors.
Second, the oil and gas situation
Australia has a vast sedimentary basin, the coastal continental shelf area is more than twice the land area, and the prospect of underwater oil and gas resources is considerable. Over the years, new oil and gas resources have been discovered on the Australian coastal continental shelf, mainly distributed in bass strait, Northwest Continental Shelf and Timor Sea (Figure 13-6).
Figure 13-6 Schematic diagram of oil and gas distribution in Australian waters
Australia's land and marine sedimentary rocks cover an area of 6.3 million square kilometers, and there are 48 sedimentary basins, 20 of which are partially or completely located at sea. Since 1990s, oil and gas fields have been discovered in the northwest continental shelf and some basins in the middle of the continent, especially in the northwest continental shelf, which has become one of the major oil and gas producing areas in Australia.
The northwest continental shelf belongs to the seaward extension of Carnarwin Basin, and consists of Exeter sub-basin, Barrow sub-basin, Dampier sub-basin, PiDamla shelf and Preston shelf. 18 Oil fields, gas fields and oil and gas fields have been discovered on the northwest continental shelf.
The natural gas reserves in Gauguin area near the northwest continental shelf are particularly considerable. Gauguin natural gas field is the largest undeveloped natural gas field in Australia, with a reserve of 0.36 trillion cubic meters, and its energy value is equivalent to a large oil field with billions of barrels of reserves. Scott)/breck ok gas fields, Bayu-Undan, Sunrise-Troubadour, Scarborough and Jansz gas fields are also rich in natural gas reserves.
At the end of 2007, Australia's proven oil reserves were about 4.2 billion barrels, accounting for 0.30% of the world total. Oil production is about 23.8 million tons, accounting for 0.6% of the world total. At the end of 2007, Australia's proven natural gas reserves were 2.5 1 trillion cubic meters, ranking 12 among the global natural gas reserves.
Most of Australia's rich energy resources are located in the northwest waters of Western Australia. Western Australia is a global supplier of minerals and energy. In fiscal year 2006-2007, the mining output value is expected to reach 53.4 billion Australian dollars, accounting for more than 50% of the country. Oil and natural gas are the largest minerals in Western Australia, with an output value of A $654.38+064 billion. In 2006-2007, the total output value of Western Australia is expected to reach A $65.438+0.278 billion, accounting for 654.38+02.8% of the national economy. Among the states, the per capita output value in the midwest of Australia has the strongest growth, reaching 4. 1%.
In 2004, the crude oil output of Western Australia reached 76.8 million barrels, and the condensate oil (by-product of offshore natural gas fields) was 37 million barrels. In 2004, there were 42 oil fields in Western Australia, and the largest oil field was Wanaea, with an annual output of 2,365,438+million barrels, accounting for 3 1% of crude oil production in Western Australia. In addition to crude oil, there are 27 gas fields producing condensate oil in Western Australia, of which Goodwin gas field is the largest, producing 65,438 in 2004. It accounts for 32% of the total condensate oil production in Western Australia. Echo-Yodel gas field is the second largest condensate gas field in Western Australia. In 2004, it produced condensate oil/kloc-0.6 million barrels, accounting for 28% of the total condensate oil production in Western Australia. Perseus-Athena gas field is the third largest condensate oil field in Western Australia, with 8.8 million barrels of condensate oil in 2004, accounting for 23% of the total condensate oil production in Western Australia.
Western Australia's natural gas reserves account for about 80% of Australia's total reserves, and the remaining 20% are in the waters above the Northern Territory, the southeast corner of Australia and the eastern inland of Australia (with a small amount of reserves). Western Australia's natural gas resources are distributed in several areas of the Northwest Sea, mainly including carnarvon Basin (including the Northwest Continental Shelf and Gauguin gas field, with natural gas reserves of 84 trillion cubic feet) and Bronx Basin (including Scott Reef and Blake Keke and Blake Kenan gas fields, with natural gas reserves of 26.5 trillion cubic feet). And Bonaparte basin in the Timor Sea above the Northern Territory (including gas fields such as Bayu Undan and Sunrise, in which natural gas reserves are 210.6 trillion cubic feet, of which 2.34 trillion cubic feet are in Western Australia and 9.26 trillion cubic feet are in the Northern Territory).
Third, the history of development
After 1964, Australia shifted the focus of oil exploration to bass strait in the southeast and began the development of offshore oil in Australia. At the same time, Australia's oil industry has also begun to develop rapidly. Within a few years, Gittichirpa gas field, Barrow Island oil field, gilmour gas field, Meilin oil field, Balakuta oil field, Wang Yu oil field and North Rankine and Scott Reef condensate gas fields on the northwest continental shelf have been discovered successively. In 1990s, four important exploration areas were formed in Australia, including Northwest Continental Shelf, Timor Sea, Gippsland Basin and Central Basin. And focused on the northwest continental shelf, Timor Sea and other sea areas, and made many important discoveries. 1990 ——1994, 36 exploratory wells made significant oil and gas discoveries. However, the exploration cost in Australia is very high. The cost of each well on land is 2 million Australian dollars, while the cost at sea is as high as 5 times of 65,438+0 million Australian dollars.
This paper introduces several important marine engineering projects in history.
1. Northwest continental shelf
1985 the first phase of liquefied natural gas (LNG) of northwest continental shelf project started construction. The project consists of six joint ventures: woodside, BP, BHP Billiton, MIMI (Mitsubishi and Mitsui), Shell and Chevron. Woodside is in charge of the operation of the project, and Shell owns 34% of the company. Six shareholders established Northwest Continental Shelf Australia LNG Co., Ltd.. LNG Sales Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as NWSALNG, formerly known as ALNG, and later renamed NWSALNG in 2003 to distinguish it from Gauguin Project). Up to now, the project has invested 1, 2 1 100 million Australian dollars. At present, there are four LNG production lines on the Burup Peninsula. 1989, the first and second LNG production lines were put into operation, and the first batch of LNG began to be exported to Japan. The northwest continental shelf produces crude oil 1 10000 barrels, condensate oil 1 15000 barrels and 2500 tons of liquefied petroleum gas every day. The northwest continental shelf has continuously transported more than 0.7 million ships of liquefied natural gas/kloc-0, and the liquefied natural gas is about 1 100 million tons. At present, * * * there are 9 ships of different nationalities responsible for transporting LNG on the northwest continental shelf of Australia, each with a transport capacity of 6,543.8+0.25 million cubic meters. After entering 2 1 century, NWSALNG ordered three LNG ships from Daewoo Shipbuilding Company of Korea, one of which was delivered in April 2004, with a transportation capacity of137,500 cubic meters. The other two ships were delivered in 2006, each with a transportation capacity of 6,543.8+0.4 million cubic meters to 6,543.8+0.47 million cubic meters, and the price of each ship was about 6,543.8+0.7 million US dollars.
It is estimated that the total cost of the northwest continental shelf project is * * * 654.38+06 billion Australian dollars. The fourth LNG production line costing A $2.5 billion was completed in July 2004. In September 2004, the production and export of liquefied natural gas began. In 2005, the production capacity of the production line was all reached. The annual output of the four production lines is 1 1.7 million tons, and the fifth production line was put into operation at the end of 2008 with a capacity of 4.2 million tons/year.
Since 1996, Australia has been in contact with relevant parties in China to discuss the promotion of liquefied natural gas produced on the northwest continental shelf to China. 200 1 1 1 8, Guangdong LNG bidding officially started. On August 8th, 2002, LNG Tendering Committee led by China Offshore Oil Corporation and attended by Guangdong and Hong Kong users announced the bid opening results. Australia finally won from the three bidders and won the largest single export order in Australian history at that time, with a total contract value of A $25 billion and an annual gas supply of 3.3 million tons.
After purchasing LNG from the Australian Northwest Continental Shelf, China Offshore Oil Corporation acquired 5.3% of the shares of the Northwest Continental Shelf Project (including only natural gas and associated oil, excluding the ownership of the infrastructure of the Northwest Continental Shelf) and 25% of the shares of the joint venture company (China LNG) established to supply the LNG project in China and Guangdong. In late April, 2006, the first ship of LNG will be transported from Western Australia to Shenzhen, Guangdong, marking the official entry into force of a 25-year gas supply contract. In 2006, 73% of LNG produced on the Northwest Continental Shelf will be exported to Japan, 25% to China and 2% to South Korea.
2. Gauguin
Gorgon project is another huge natural gas field discovered in Australia after the Northwest Continental Shelf. According to analysis, the proven reserves of this gas field are 12.9 trillion cubic feet, and the total reserves are estimated to be 40 trillion cubic feet, accounting for about 35% of the natural gas reserves in Western Australia. Accounting for 25% of Australia's natural gas reserves. Covering an area of 280 square kilometers, the gas field is the largest natural gas field ever discovered in Australia. Gauguin gas field was discovered in 1980, and the evaluation was completed in 1998. Natural gas production is expected to start in 2008. The gas field is jointly invested by three companies, among which Chevron Texaco (Australia) is the operator of the project, and Shell (Australia) and ExxonMobil (Australia) each hold 25% of the shares. The total investment of the project has reached more than 6 billion Australian dollars. According to the calculation, the total cost of this project, including the investment of natural gas liquefaction production line in Barrow Island, is 1 1 100 million yuan.
On September 8, 2003, the Western Australian government announced that it would use part of the land of Barrow Island, 70 kilometers from the Pilbara coast in the northwest of Western Australia, as the processing plant of Gauguin natural gas field in Australia. The Western Australian government approved 300 hectares of land on Barrow Island for Gauguin gas field. Gauguin project includes the construction of a 70-kilometer-long submarine pipeline to transport natural gas to the natural gas liquefaction plant in Barrow Island. The construction of the first plant began in mid-2005, and the first batch of LNG was supplied to the market in 20 10.
3. Bayu-Yun Dan Natural Gas Field
The natural gas treatment plant of Bayu-Yun Dan gas field LNG project is the first energy development project in Timor Sea. Approved by the authoritative management organization authorized by Timor Sea oil and gas field-the management committee jointly established by Australia and East China, and undertaken by American energy giant ConocoPhillips. The project includes the construction of a natural gas pipeline between Bayu-Undan gas field, one of the five oil and gas fields discovered in Timor Sea, and Darwin, the capital of Northwest Australia, and the construction of a liquefied natural gas processing plant in Darwin. Bayu-Undan gas field is located about 500 kilometers northwest of Darwin, between Australia and East Timor, 80 meters underwater. According to the approved agreement, 90% of the royalties of this natural gas field will go to East Timor, and it is estimated that the total royalties of this natural gas field will be A $6 billion in 20 years.
Santos, one of Australia's largest natural gas producers, owns 65,438+02% of the project, ConocoPhillips, the world's sixth largest energy giant in Texas, owns 64% of the project, and Inpex Group of Japan and Ajipu Company of Australia each own 65,438+02% of the shares. At the beginning of February, 2006, Japan's first LNG carrier arrived in Darwin Harbor, carrying 6.5438+0.25 million cubic meters of LNG and set off for Japan. The LNG processing plant supplies 3 million tons of LNG to two users in Japan every year for at least 17 years. According to exploration, the natural gas reserves of Bayu-Wendan oil and gas field are 3.4 trillion cubic feet, and the liquefied petroleum gas reserves are 400 million barrels. It is estimated that the project can be mined for 25 years and the total income will reach 30 billion Australian dollars. The LNG processing plant built in Darwin is the second LNG processing plant in Australia and the first LNG processing plant on the northwest continental shelf.
Step 4 browse the project
Browse basin includes Scott Reef, breck ock and Brecknock South gas fields, with natural gas reserves of 26.5 trillion cubic feet and condensate oil reserves of 3 165438+ billion barrels. Australian companies hold 58% of the shares, of which Woodside Company holds 50%, and European and American multinational companies hold part of the shares. The project will be the third LNG center in Australia, and it is planned to build a production line with an annual output of 7 million tons of LNG.
In addition to the above projects, there are some natural gas projects in the northwest of Western Australia, such as BHP Billiton's Pilbara LNG project, with an estimated total investment of 5 billion Australian dollars. This gas field is 270 kilometers from the land. The natural gas reserves of the planned development project are about 8 trillion cubic feet, and the project is scheduled to start operation in 2009, when the annual output of LNG will be 5-6 million tons.
In April 2005, woodside Company discovered the PlutoLNG project. The project is located at the northwest of Carata 190km in the north of Western Australia. It is estimated that the natural gas reserves there are 2.5 trillion cubic feet, and the planned LNG plant has an annual production capacity of 5 million to 7 million tons.
Sunrise gas field, the project is located in Bonaparte basin of Timor Sea above the Northern Territory, 450km northwest of Darwin and 80km east of Timor. It is estimated that Sunrise Gas Field can recover 7.68 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 299 million barrels of condensate oil.
Australia's proven oil reserves have soared from 400 million barrels in 1997 to 4.2 billion barrels at present. In 2000, the daily output of crude oil reached a historical high of 8 1. 1 10,000 barrels (including 720,000 barrels of crude oil). However, with the increase of oil consumption and the decline of oil production, Australia's net oil imports have been increasing. By June 2005, 5438+ 10 1, Australia had proven oil reserves1500 million barrels, most of which were located in bass strait in southern Australia and carnarvon basin in western Australia. Since 1980, the daily output of Australian oil has gradually increased, reaching a peak of 805,000 barrels in 2000. In 2003, Australia's daily oil output dropped sharply to 630,522 barrels. In 2005, the daily output of Australian oil was estimated to be 553,5438+0,000 barrels. There are many reasons for the decline in Australian oil production. First, natural production reduction occurred in oil-producing basins such as Cooper-Eromanga and Gippsland; Second, although the oil production in carnarvon, Bonaparte and other oil-producing basins has increased in recent years, its increase has been offset by the steady growth of Australian consumption; Third, Australia's tax system makes domestic producers unattractive to invest in oil production.
In 2005, the average daily oil consumption in Australia was 9,654,380,000 barrels, and the net import was about 364,000 barrels. By contrast, the average net oil import in 2000 was only 54,000 barrels per day. By the end of 2007, the daily output of oil has been reduced to 566,5438+0,000 barrels. But the daily consumption reached 935,000 barrels. By 20 10, the Australian government's dependence on oil imports will increase to 50%. Most of the crude oil imported by Australia comes from the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea.
Although Australia will continue to be a net importer of oil and condensate, its daily export volume of oil and condensate increased by 65,438+04% in 2008-2009, reaching 65,438+07,062 barrels. In 2009-20 10, it increased by 7% to 18247 barrels.