Offshore staff
LONDON – Serica Energy has issued progress reports on two field development programs in the UK central North Sea.
Late last month the seabed tie-in structure was installed for the single-well development of the Columbus gas/condensate field.
Columbus will be connected to the Arran to Shearwater pipeline, with production from Columbus and the Shell-operated Arran field commingled prior to delivery to the Shearwater field complex.
The pipeline has been laid and the first Arran well has spudded. Installation has finished of the Shearwater to Columbus umbilical, with the Columbus tie-in structure located on the seabed adjacent to the proposed wellhead location.
During H1 2021 the jackup Maersk Resilient should start drilling the development well, with production starting later in the year.
At the Rhum gas/condensate field – a 44-km (27-mi) subsea tieback to Serica’s Bruce field complex – offshore operations have started on the R3 well intervention project, with Awilco Drilling’s semisubmersible WilPhoenix on location.
Rhum, in 109 m (358 ft) water depth, started production in December 2005, but R3, the third of the three planned wells, (R3), has not until now been brought onstream.
The current program involves recovering equipment left in the well by previous operator BP and removing an obstruction thought to extend across parts of the downhole completion. The well will then be recompleted.
Rig operations should take around 70 days to complete. R3 is connected to the subsea production infrastructure and should be ready to start service early next year.
The wells produce mostly gas with minor levels of condensate.
Serica added that both projects are going ahead following a COVID-19 related risk assessment concerning availability of equipment and/or personnel.
10/12/2020
