Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK --Talisman Energy is selling its 100% interest in the Beatrice oilfield in the UK central North Sea to Canadian independent Ithaca Energy.
Beatrice, in block 11/30a in the Inner Moray Firth, was one of three offshore production centers that Talisman acquired from BP in 1997 when it was establishing itself as an operator on the UK shelf.
Since its discovery by Mesa Petroleum in 1979, BP and Talisman have produced more than 165Mbbl of oil out of estimated in-place resources of 495MMbbl. Talisman's most recent innovation was to install offshore wind turbines to provide power for the complex.
Effective January 1, 2008, Ithaca will assume operatorship of the three Beatrice platforms, the storage and transhipment terminal at Nigg on Scotland's east coast, and the 16-in. (40.6 cm) export pipeline from Beatrice Alpha to Nigg. Ithaca claims this line, largely replaced in 2001, has capacity to handle over 60,000b/d.
The field currently produces only 1,800b/d, but Ithaca plans to develop its Jacky discovery through Beatrice Alpha, to be followed by a tieback of the Athena field. It also intends to reactivate Beatrice Bravo, currently shut in, in an attempt to lift overall production.
Ithaca will appoint Wood Group Engineering (North Sea) as duty holder for the platforms, extending its current role as engineering contractor. Talisman remains responsible for the ultimate decommissioning of the facilities.
11/30/2007
