Fossil Energy – Kipper 1B
Esso Australia, ExxonMobil’s local subsidiary, has begun drilling the $200 million Kipper 1B project in the Gippsland Basin, aimed at boosting domestic gas supply.
Using the VALARIS 107 jack-up rig, the project will drill and install one subsea well in the Kipper field and upgrade the West Tuna platform.
Gas from Kipper 1B is expected to flow before winter 2026, supporting Australian households and businesses into the next decade.
Kipper 1B builds on the Kipper Compression Project and the West Barracouta development, operational since 2021. Esso operates the Bass Strait assets within the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture (Esso, Woodside) and the Kipper Unit Joint Venture (Esso, Woodside, Mitsui).
