Oct. 2012 - Premier Oil awarded a $15 million contract to EOC Limited in relation to the upgrade of FPSO Lewek EMAS. Under the contract, EOC will provide project management, engineering and procurement services for modifications that are necessary to accommodate a subsea tie-back that will link the vessel to the nearby Dua oil field in Block 12E offshore Vietnam. The Lewek EMAS is currently in operation in the Premier-operated Chim Sao field. Once the project is completed in late 2013, the FPSO will produce both fields. All modifications will be made in the field without taking the vessel offline.

Aug. 2012 - Premier Oil reported that the Chim Sao North West appraisal well, CS-3X, has reached a total depth of 13,894 feet (4,235 meters). The well has been plugged and abandoned after encountering oil shows in the Middle Dua sands. The appraisal well was drilled to determine whether the Chim Sao North West discovery extended into a separate fault segment to the north. The well targeted the Upper and Middle Dua sands. While 443 feet (135 meters) of sandstone reservoir were penetrated in the Upper Dua interval there was no indication of hydrocarbons. In the Middle Dua interval 541 feet (165 meters) of sands were drilled, but only oil shows were encountered. The CS-N17XP well, which was completed immediately prior to the appraisal well, was drilled to produce from the North West extension to the Chim Sao Field. That well was brought on-stream earlier this month with initial extended production test rates averaging 4,000 barrels of oil per day from four Upper Dua reservoirs.

May. 2012 - Premier Oil announced that the Dua project, a tie-in to the Chim Sao field, was formally sanctioned by Premier and Santos in April. It is expected that the necessary Vietnamese government approvals will be received during the second quarter of 2012. In the meantime, bids for FPSO modifications and the drilling rig have been received and are being evaluated. Premier continues to target 2014 for first oil.

Apr. 2012 - Premier Oil reported that by year-end 2011, close to 2 MMboe had been produced from six production wells on the Chim Sao field, which came online in October 2011. An additional three production wells will be available to come on-stream in early 2012 when the four-well water injection system will come online. Furthermore, a well deepened into the Oligocene directly beneath the main field proved an estimated 56 feet (17 meters) of net hydrocarbon-bearing pay, and an additional well to be drilled in early 2012 will accelerate production from a shallow reservoir that has larger reserves than initially estimated. The CS-N2P well, a development production well for the Chim Sao project, intersected the shallow part of a previously undrilled fault terrace to the northwest of the Chim Sao field. The well encountered a 66 feet (20 meter) oil column in an independent closure within good quality Upper Dua sandstones. The plan is to further appraise this new accumulation in 2012 as a near-field tie-back opportunity.

Oct. 2011 - Premier Oil has commenced production from the Chim Sao oil project offshore southern Vietnam. Oil production will commence from six wells, and overall production output should plateau at about 25,000 bopd. The field's development consists of a single wellhead platform and an FPSO. Hydrocarbons will be processed on the FPSO with oil being exported via shuttle tankers and the gas by subsea pipeline into existing gas infrastructure. The operator plans to further explore and appraise the development in 2012 in order to add additional resources to the project. Chim Sao is located on Blocks 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field, holding a 53.125 percent interest.

Oct. 2011 - Premier Oil stated that production from the Chim Sao oil field will commence on Friday, Oct. 7, 2011. The Chim Sao development consists of an FPSO, a wellhead platform, and a subsea pipeline system to transport hydrocarbons, export gas, and inject water. Oil will transport to the Lewak Emas FPSO, with a processing capacity of 50,000 bopd, where it will be processed, stored and exported via tankers. Gas will then export to shore for power generation in order to meet domestic demand. Oil output is expected to plateau at 25,000 bopd and gas production at 25 MMcf/d. Chim Sao is located on Blocks 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field, holding a 53.125% interest.

Aug. 2011 - Premier Oil stated that well CS-N2P, a development production well for the Chim Sao project, has intersected the shallow part of a previously undrilled fault terrace to the northwest of the Chim Sao field. The well encountered a 66-foot (20-meter) oil column in an independent closure within good quality Upper Dua sandstones. Premier plans to appraise this new accumulation as a near-field tie-back opportunity via the CS-N1P development well, through which wire-line logs and fluid samples will be acquired. Results are expected in October. Chim Sao is located on Blocks 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field, holding a 53.125% interest.

Jul. 2011 - Premier Oil announced that the Chim Sao project remains on schedule with first oil expected in August 2011. On July 1, the FPSO moved from the Keppel yard to its offshore anchorage where deepwater commissioning and trials were completed. The FPSO is now on tow to the Chim Sao field for the installation of the umbilicals that will connect it to the production wells. Chim Sao is located on Blocks 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field, holding a 53.125% interest.

May. 2011 - Premier Oil stated developmental drilling is progressing at Chim Sao and first oil is now planned for August 2011. Furthermore, the development concept for the Dua field, which will be tied-back to Chim Sao, continues to be refined. Front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies are complete. Chim Sao is located on Block 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field, holding a 53.125% interest.

Jan. 2011 - Premier Oil stated its Chim Sao project remains on schedule to commence production on July 1, 2011. The conversion of the field's FPSO was around 85% complete at year-end, and the facility is expected to leave Singapore in mid-April. Chim Sao is located on Block 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field, holding a 53.125% interest. Partners on the field include Santos (31.875%) and PVEP (15%).

Jul. 2010 - Premier Oil reported that its Chim Sao project in Vietnam remains on schedule to commence production in July 2011. The gas export pipeline was installed and tie-in of subsea lines and manifolds is underway. Later this month, the topsides will be installed while the FPSO conversions are proceeding as planned, with sail away scheduled for the first quarter of 2011. Chim Sao is located on Block 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field, holding a 53.125% interest. Partners on the field include Santos (31.875%) and PVEP (15%).

Feb. 2010 - Ezra Holdings, EOC Limited, PetroVietnam and KSI Production entered into an agreement to create a joint venture company for the supply of an FPSO for the Chim Sao project in Vietnam - a project estimated to be worth as much as $1 billion. As part of the JV arrangement, Ezra will provide the Lewek Emas oil tanker to be converted into the FPSO, and the finished vessel will have the capacity to produce up to 50,000 bopd and store 680,000 barrels of oil. Production of the project is slated to commence in the second quarter of 2011. Chim Sao, formerly Blackbird, is located on Block 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. Premier serves as the operator of the oil and gas field with a 53.125% interest and partners on the field with Santos (31.875%) and PVEP (15%).

Dec. 2009 - Saipem will install one wellhead platform at the Chim Sao field offshore Vietnam. Other operations include detailed engineering for infield pipelines and the installation of subsea pipelines, umbilicals and PLEMs. The Lewek Emas will be converted from an oil tanker into an FPSO with a production capacity of up to 50,000 bopd. Production from the field is expected to commence mid-2011. The Chim Sao project formerly Blackbird, is located on Block 12W and 12E in 377 feet (115 meters) of water, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, offshore Vietnam. The first phase of the field development plan includes two wellhead platforms tied-back to an FPSO with production commencing in mid-2011.

Jul. 2009 - Premier signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement and completed the acquisition from Delek Energy Systems Ltd, the holding company, for its 25% interest in Block 12W in the Nam Con Son Basin, offshore Vietnam. Premier is the Operator of the Block, and is progressing the development of the Chim Sáo field, containing approximately 50 MMboe of oil and gas, which is expected to come onstream at a rate of 25,000 boepd in late 2010 or early 2011. Following completion of both Premier's acquisition from Delek and the PVEP back-in, the interests in Block 12W will be, Premier 53.125% (Operator), Santos 31.875% and PVEP 15%.

Apr. 2009 - BW Offshore reports that it is working on a private placement for the Nexus 1 FPSO. Premier Oil tapped the company for the FPSO on the Chim Sao field offshore Vietnam, but the agreement is dependent on BW securing funding for the vessel. An oil and gas field, Chim Sao is currently under development, which includes two production platforms, this FPSO and a subsea gas export pipeline, with production planned for mid-2010.