ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso Australia has successfully completed its Turrum field drilling program, drilling five new wells as part of its ongoing investment in Bass Strait to develop new gas supplies.

The $335 million AUD investment involved the drilling of four gas wells and one oil well and follows the start-up of the $4.5 billion Kipper Tuna Turrum project. Turrum holds an estimated 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 110 million barrels of oil and gas liquids. First oil from the Turrum field via the new Marlin B platform was announced in October 2013.

ExxonMobil Australia Chairman Richard Owen said the drilling program was completed safely and ahead of schedule.

“The fact that this program was completed safely reflects the ongoing commitment we make to ensure the safety of our workforce and operations. Safety remains our number one priority across our wider Gippsland business.

“The program involved drilling approximately 20 kilometres of technically complex wells and installing more than two thousand tonnes of casing, tubing and production equipment.

“The success of the Turrum drilling program demonstrates what is needed to ensure future investment in Gippsland. In order to ensure the continuation of our local operations, we must work together as a team to find productivity improvements not just in major projects, but across the full spectrum of our business,” he said.

Mr. Owen said the Esso-BHP Billiton Gippsland Basin Joint Venture continues to supply nearly 40 percent of east coast Australian domestic gas demand.

“The Gippsland Basin Joint Venture has 50 years of experience in Bass Strait. Since the first well was drilled in 1965 in Bass Strait, approximately four billion barrels of crude oil and eight trillion cubic feet of natural gas have been produced,” he concluded.

About ExxonMobil Australia

ExxonMobil Australia’s subsidiaries have been operating in this country since 1895. Esso is the operator of offshore oil and gas facilities in Bass Strait and associated processing facilities in Gippsland including the Longford Plants, near Sale and the Long Island Point facility, in Hastings.

About ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM), the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources and is one of the world’s largest integrated refiners, marketers of petroleum products and chemical manufacturers.