Oil production from Australia's Bass Strait fields will be raised by 11,000 barrels a day to about 321,000 barrels with the launch of the Whiting field, the first of five small fields scheduled to be brought into production before the end of 1990. Esso Australia Ltd., a unit of New York-based Exxon Corp., and Broken Hill Pty. operate the fields in a joint venture. Esso said the Whiting field started production Tuesday. Output will be gradually increased until it reaches about 11,000 barrels a day. The field has reserves of 21 million barrels. Reserves for the five new fields total 50 million barrels. The Perch and Dolphin fields are expected to start producing early next year, and the Seahorse and Tarwhine fields later next year. Esso said the fields were developed after the Australian government decided in 1987 to make the first 30 million barrels from new fields free of excise tax. TEXT Oil production from Australia 's Bass Strait fields will be raised by 11,000 barrels a day to about 321,000 barrels with the launch of the Whiting field , the first of five small fields scheduled to be brought into production before the end of 1990 . Esso Australia Ltd. , a unit of New York-based Exxon Corp. , and Broken Hill Pty. operate the fields in a joint venture . Esso said the Whiting field started production Tuesday . Output will be gradually increased until it reaches about 11,000 barrels a day . The field has reserves of 21 million barrels . Reserves for the five new fields total 50 million barrels . The Perch and Dolphin fields are expected to start producing early next year , and the Seahorse and Tarwhine fields later next year . Esso said the fields were developed after the Australian government decided in 1987 to make the first 30 million barrels from new fields free of excise tax . 2~4 8 8~10~12~14~16 26~28~30~32 36~38~40 44~46~48~50~52~54 50~52~54~56~58~60~62~64~66~68~70~72~74~76~78~80~82~84~86~88~90 64~66~68~70~72~74~76~78~80~82~84~86~88~90 80 84~86~88~90 90 95~97~99~101~103~105~107~109~111~113~115 109~111~113~115 121~123~125 129~131 135~137~139 144 148~150~152 156 158 163 175 181~183~185~187 192~194 198~200~202~204~206 211~213~215~217~219~221 215~217~219~221 225~227~229 234~236~238~240~242 254~256~258 264~266~268~270~272 274~276~278 283 287~289 297~299~301 307 313~315~317~319~321~323~325~327 325~327 333~335 Oil production|580 Australia|581 Australia's Bass Strait fields|582 11,000 barrels a day|583,602 about 321,000 barrels|584 the launch of the Whiting field|585 the Whiting field|586,597,603 five small fields scheduled to be brought into production before the end of 1990|587,594,606,613 production|588,598 the end of 1990|589 1990|590 Esso Australia Ltd.|591,596,612 New York-based Exxon Corp.|592 Broken Hill Pty.|593 a joint venture|595 Tuesday|599 Output|600,601 reserves of 21 million barrels|604 Reserves for the five new fields|605,607 The Perch and Dolphin fields|608 early next year|609 the Seahorse and Tarwhine fields|610 later next year|611 the Australian government|614 1987|615 the first 30 million barrels from new fields|616 new fields|617 excise tax|618 580|MOD:DESC:2|NUC:DIST:4 581|NUC:DIST:8 582|MOD:DIST:8~10|MOD:DIST:12~14|NUC:DIST:16 583|MOD:DIST:26|NUC:DIST:28|MOD:DIST:30~32 584|MOD:DIST:36~38|NUC:DIST:40 585|MOD:DIST:44|NUC:DIST:46|MOD:DIST:48~50~52~54 586|MOD:DIST:50|MOD:DIST:52|NUC:DIST:54|MOD:DESC:58~60~62~64~66~68~70~72~74~76~78~80~82~84~86~88~90 587|MOD:DIST:64|MOD:DESC:66|NUC:DIST:68|MOD:DIST:70~72~74~76~78~80~82~84~86~88~90 588|NUC:DIST:80 589|MOD:DIST:84|NUC:DIST:86|MOD:DIST:88~90 590|NUC:DIST:90 591|NUC:DIST:95~97~99|MOD:DESC:103~105~107~109~111~113~115 592|MOD:DESC:109~111|NUC:DIST:113~115 593|NUC:DIST:121~123~125 594|MOD:DIST:129|NUC:DIST:131 595|MOD:DIST:135|MOD:DESC:137|NUC:DIST:139 596|NUC:DIST:144 597|MOD:DIST:148|MOD:DIST:150|NUC:DIST:152 598|NUC:DIST:156 599|NUC:DIST:158 600|NUC:DIST:163 601|NUC:DIST:175 602|MOD:DIST:181|NUC:DIST:183|MOD:DIST:185~187 603|MOD:DIST:192|NUC:DIST:194 604|NUC:DIST:198|MOD:DIST:200~202~204~206 605|NUC:DIST:211|MOD:DIST:213~215~217~219~221 606|MOD:DIST:215|MOD:DIST:217|MOD:DESC:219|NUC:DIST:221 607|NUC:DIST:225~227|MOD:DESC:229 608|MOD:DIST:234|MOD:DIST:236~238~240|NUC:DIST:242 609|MOD:DIST:254|MOD:DIST:256|NUC:DIST:258 610|MOD:DIST:264|MOD:DIST:266~268~270|NUC:DIST:272 611|MOD:DIST:274|MOD:DIST:276|NUC:DIST:278 612|NUC:DIST:283 613|MOD:DIST:287|NUC:DIST:289 614|MOD:DIST:297|MOD:DESC:299|NUC:DIST:301 615|NUC:DIST:307 616|MOD:DIST:313|MOD:DIST:315|MOD:DIST:317~319|NUC:DIST:321|MOD:DIST:323~325~327 617|MOD:DIST:325|NUC:DIST:327 618|MOD:DIST:333|NUC:DIST:335