The BHP Board has approved US$283 million (BHP share) in funding to develop the Ruby Project in Trinidad and Tobago. Total investment for the oil and gas project (including pre-commitment capital) is approximately US$500 million (gross, 100 per cent basis).

The Ruby Project is located in the Block 3(a) development area of Trinidad and Tobago and provides an opportunity for BHP to safely deliver value by producing resources in the Ruby and Delaware reservoirs. The project consists of five production wells tied back utilising the latent capacity of the existing processing facilities, proven technology of the existing operated asset, and newly acquired ocean bottom node seismic imaging.

The project has Estimated Recoverable 2C Resources of 13.2 million barrels of oil (100 per cent basis) and 274 billion cubic feet of natural gas (100 per cent basis). First production is expected in the 2021 calendar year and is estimated to increase production by ~16,000 barrels of oil per day (bop/d) and ~80 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d) gross at its peak.

Geraldine Slattery, BHP President Operations Petroleum, said: “This is an important milestone for BHP in Trinidad and Tobago. Ruby aligns well with our strategy of maximising value from our existing assets, bringing competitive near term value and volume growth.”

BHP, as the Operator, holds a 68.46 per cent interest, and Heritage Petroleum and the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC) hold the remaining 20.13 per cent and 11.41 per cent interest, respectively. The Block 3(a) Joint Operating Agreement requires at least two parties and 65 per cent of the working interest to approve the investment.

About BHP

BHP is a world-leading resources company. We extract and process minerals, oil and gas, with more than 60,000 employees and contractors, primarily in Australia and the Americas. Our products are sold worldwide, with sales and marketing led through Singapore and Houston, United States. Our global headquarters are in Melbourne, Australia.

We operate under a Dual Listed Company structure with two parent companies (BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc) operated as if we were a single economic entity, which we refer to as BHP. We are run by a unified Board and management.