|
BIL
BIBLT
BIL - Bhp Billiton Quarterly Report On Exploration And Development Activities
Quarter Ended 31 March 2009
BHP Billiton Plc
Share code: BIL
ISIN: GB0000566504
News Release
23 April 2009
BHP BILLITON QUARTERLY REPORT ON EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
QUARTER ENDED 31 MARCH 2009
This report covers the Group`s exploration and development activities for the
quarter ended 31 March 2009. This report, together with the Production Report,
represents the Interim Management Statement for the purposes of the UK Listing
Authority`s Disclosure and Transparency Rules. Other than the issue of US$3.25
billion in global bonds, as announced on 19 March 2009, there have been no
significant changes to the financial position of the Group in the quarter ended
31 March 2009. Unless otherwise stated, BHP Billiton`s interest in the projects
referred to in this report is 100 percent and references to project schedules
are based on calendar years.
Development
During the quarter, Shenzi development in the deep water Gulf of Mexico (oil and
gas) delivered first production ahead of schedule within budget. This project
will not be reported in future Exploration & Development Reports.
Project and Share of Initial Production Quarterly Progress
Ownership Approved Production Capacity
Capex Target (100%)
US$M Date
Petroleum
Projects
Shenzi (USA) 1,940 Mid CY09 100,000 First production
44% barrels of announced, ahead of
Oil/Gas oil and 50 schedule and within
million cubic budget. See News
feet gas per Release dated 25 March
day 2009.
Atlantis 185 H2 CY09 Tieback to On schedule and
North (USA) Atlantis budget. Manifold
44% South fabrication
Oil/Gas continuing.
Pyrenees 1,200 H1 CY10 96,000 On schedule and
(Australia) barrels of budget. Floating
71.43% oil and 60 Production Storage and
Oil/Gas million cubic Offtake (FPSO)
feet gas per conversion continued.
day Drilling commenced as
well as installation
of subsea facilities.
Angostura Gas 180 H1 CY11 280 million On schedule and
Phase II cubic feet budget. Commenced
(Trinidad and gas per day platform fabrication.
Tobago)
45%
Gas
Bass Strait 500 CY11 10,000 bpd On schedule and
Kipper condensate budget. West Tuna
(Australia) and platform retrofit work
32.5% - 50% processing continuing.
Gas/Gas capacity of
Liquids 80 million
cubic feet
gas per day
Bass Strait 625 CY11 11,000 bpd On schedule and
Turrum condensate budget. Engineering
(Australia) and achieved to support
50% processing procurement schedule.
Gas/Gas capacity of
Liquids 200 million
cubic feet
gas per day
North West 245 CY11 Replacement On schedule and
Shelf CWLH vessel with budget. Floating
Life capacity of Production Storage and
Extension 60,000 bpd Offtake (FPSO)
(Australia) oil conversion commenced.
16.67%
Oil
North West 850 CY12 2,500 million On schedule and
Shelf North cubic feet budget. Jacket
Rankin B Gas gas per day fabrication
Compression continuing. Topsides
(Australia) design review
16.67% milestone completed.
LNG
Minerals
Projects
Alumar - 900 Q2 CY09 2 million tpa On schedule and
Refinery of additional revised budget.
Expansion alumina Engineering is
(Brazil) complete and
36% procurement nearing
Alumina completion.
Construction is 90%
complete with the
project overall 95%
complete.
Worsley 1,900 H1 CY11 1.1 million Initial production
Efficiency & tpa of date and total project
Growth additional scope and budget
(Australia) alumina remain unchanged.
86% Engineering is 58%
Alumina complete and
construction has
commenced. The timing
of capital expenditure
will be modified in
line with our
disciplined cash flow
management. The main
component being the
Marradong mine
development; which is
expected to be
commissioned in 2012.
Iron Ore 1,850 H1 CY10 26 million On schedule and
(Western tpa of budget. Engineering is
Australia) additional over 95% complete and
RGP4 86.2% iron ore construction is
Iron Ore system nearing 80% complete.
capacity
Iron Ore 4,800 H2 CY11 50 million On schedule and
(Western tpa budget. Engineering is
Australia) additional currently 50%
RGP5 85% iron ore complete, procurement
Iron Ore system and contracting
capacity activities are
advancing.
Construction
activities have
commenced.
Gemco 110 H1 CY09 1 million tpa On schedule and budget
(Australia) of additional in local currency. All
60% manganese major components on
Manganese concentrate site in preparation
for installation.
Project is 77%
complete.
Klipspruit 450 H2 CY09 Incremental On schedule and
(South 1.8 million budget. First coal to
Africa) tpa export Run Of Mine stockpile
100% thermal coal. achieved. Processing
Energy Coal Incremental plant and industrial
2.1 million buildings progressing
tpa domestic well. The project is
thermal coal 81% complete.
Douglas- 975 Mid CY10 10 million On schedule and
Middelburg tpa export budget. Construction
Optimisation thermal coal activities are
(South and 8.5 accelerating as
Africa) million tpa scheduled. Steel
100% domestic erection and coal
Energy Coal thermal coal processing plant
(sustains equipment installation
current progressing. The
output) project is 48%
complete.
Newcastle 390 CY10 30 million On schedule and
Third Port tpa export budget. Wharf
Project coal loading construction
(Australia) facility progressing well with
35.5% delivery of stacker
Energy Coal reclaimers commenced.
Project is greater
than 50% complete.
Minerals Exploration
BHP Billiton continues to identify and prioritise various exploration
activities. All of the exploration activities are reviewed regularly to ensure
that we are capturing value accretive opportunities for future development.
Grassroots exploration continued on targets in Australia, Chile, Argentina,
Zambia and Gabon; and on diamond targets in Canada. Exploration for iron ore,
coal, bauxite and manganese was undertaken in a number of regions including
Australia, South America, Russia and West Africa.
For the nine months ended 31 March 2009, BHP Billiton spent US$514 million on
minerals exploration, of which US$460 million was expensed.
Petroleum Exploration
Exploration and appraisal wells drilled during the quarter or in the process of
drilling as at 31 March 2009.
Location BHP Billiton Status
Well Equity
Lambert-9 Dampier Sub-Basin 16.67% BHP Plugged and
Western Australia Billiton abandoned.
WA-16-L (Woodside Hydrocarbons
operator) encountered.
Lady Nora-3 Dampier Sub-Basin 16.67% BHP Plugged and
Western Australia Billiton abandoned.
WA-28-P (Woodside Dry hole.
operator)
Tidepole-2 Dampier Sub-Basin 16.67% BHP Plugged and
Western Australia Billiton abandoned.
WA-5-L (Woodside Hydrocarbons
operator) encountered.
Torosa-5 Browse Basin 8.33% BHP Plugged and
Western Australia Billiton abandoned.
WA-30-R (Woodside Hydrocarbons
operator) encountered.
Puma-4 Green Canyon Gulf 29.805% BHP Temporarily
of Mexico GC823 Billiton abandoned.
(BP Operator) Hydrocarbons
encountered.
Petroleum exploration expenditure for the nine months ended 31 March 2009 was
US$351 million, of which US$242 million was expensed.
On March 18, BHP Billiton was the apparent successful high bidder on 28 blocks
in the Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 208, representing a total investment of
approximately US$50 million net to BHP Billiton. Final award of these blocks is
subject to the usual process of confirmation by the Minerals Management Service
(MMS) that BHP Billiton`s bids are acceptable.
****
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our website:
www.bhpbilliton.com
Australia
Samantha Evans, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2898 Mobile: +61 400 693 915
email: Samantha.Evans@bhpbilliton.com
Peter Ogden, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2812 Mobile: +61 428 599 190
email: Peter.Ogden@bhpbilliton.com
Kelly Quirke, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2896 Mobile: +61 429 966 312
email: Kelly.Quirke@bhpbilliton.com
Leng Lau, Investor Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 4202 Mobile: +61 403 533 706
email: Leng.Y.Lau@bhpbilliton.com
South Africa
Bronwyn Wilkinson, Investor and Media Relations
Tel: +44 20 7802 4015 Mobile: +44 7500 785 892
email: Bronwyn.Wilkinson@bhpbilliton.com
United Kingdom
Andre Liebenberg, Investor Relations
Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 Mobile: +44 7920 236 974
email: Andre.Liebenberg@bhpbilliton.com
Illtud Harri, Media Relations
Tel: +44 20 7802 4195 Mobile: +44 7920 237 246
email: Illtud.Harri@bhpbilliton.com
United States
Scott Espenshade, Investor Relations
Tel: +1 713 599 6431 Mobile: +1 713 208 8565
email: Scott.Espenshade@bhpbilliton.com
Ruban Yogarajah, Media Relations
Tel: US +1 713 966 2907 or UK +44 20 7802 4033
Mobile: UK +44 7827 082 022
email: Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com
BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: 180 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia
Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +61 3 9609 3015
BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Neathouse Place
London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Fax +44 20 7802 4111
A member of the BHP Billiton group which is headquartered in Australia
Date: 23/04/2009 08:29:16 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the
JSE Limited (`JSE`). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or
implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or
completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers,
employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct,
indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature,
howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on,
information disseminated through SENS. |
|
