Offshore staff
LONDON – Development drilling on the Huntington project in the UK central North Sea should finish this month, according to partner Premier Oil.
The sixth and final well is drilling ahead with the rig due to move off location at the end of July. Timing of the sailaway of the refurbishedVoyageur FPSO depends on progress with commissioning at the Nymo yard in Norway.
AtRochelle, a central North Sea project operated by Endeavour, the first of the two development wells will start drilling soon, Premier adds. However, the offshore installation program has been set back by the late arrival of the pipelay vessel. The upgrade to the Nexen-operated Scott platform remains on track.
Solan, the Premier-operated $850-million development west of Shetland, is progressing as scheduled. Contracts have been issued for the topsides facilities, steel jacket, heavy-lift installation, and subsea tank fabrication. Construction of the topsides started last month.
Following signature of a rig contract, development drilling should get under way in March 2013. The target for first oil from the 40-MMbbl field is 4Q 2014.
As for exploration, Premier’s next UK well will likely be on the Spaniards East prospect in block 15/25a, again close to Scott. The semisubmersibleWilPhoenix will drill the well followed by another on the Cyclone prospect in block 21/7b.
Elsewhere in the region, Premier expects the high-pressure/high-temperature Lacewing prospect to spud before year-end.
During 2Q 2013, Premier will drill another exploratory well on the Catcher license area on the Bonneville prospect. More candidates nearby are being matured for drilling later in 2013.
This fall in the Norwegian North Sea, Premier will participate in a well on the Luno II prospect on the southwest margin of the productive Utsira high. The company has increased its stake from 40% to 80% in PL406, which contains the Mackerel discovery and the Herring prospect.
The Mackerel discovery will be factored into conceptual studies for the BG-operatedBream development, with plans to drill a well on Herring.
7/12/2012
