Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – BP and partners Shell, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron will pursue a two-year appraisal program that could lead to a third-phase development of the Clair field west of Shetland.
The initial commitment, estimated at more than $500 million, calls for five wells, the first of which is under way. Depending on the results, up to seven more wells could follow.
Objectives are to provide improved certainty on overall reservoir volumes, including distribution and fluid characteristics; to assess technologies that could lift recovery from Greater Clair; and to test the possibility of new stand-alone developments and links toClair Ridge.
Clair was originally discovered in 1977. The location is 75 km (46.6 mi) west of Shetland and extends over 220 sq km (85 sq mi), in water depths of about 140 m (459 ft).
In-place hydrocarbons across the field are estimated at 8 Bboe, but due to the reservoir’s complex and fractured nature, there is uncertainty as to how much oil can be recovered.
The currentsecond phase of the development, the $7-billion Clair Ridge, is targeting part of the field north of Clair Phase 1, and involves construction and installation of two new bridge-linked platforms, to be installed in 2015. Start-up is expected the following year.
3/28/2013
