Hurricane warns of potential downgrade of west of Shetland oil resources
Aug. 6, 2020
An early production test on the basement Lancaster oil field west of Shetland has been temporarily suspended following a controlled shutdown of the FPSO Aoka Mizu for an inspection program.
(Courtesy Hurricane Energy)
The FPSO Aoka Mizu.
Offshore staff
GODALMING, UK – An early production test on the basement Lancaster oil field west of Shetland has been temporarily suspended following a controlled shutdown of the FPSO Aoka Mizu for an inspection program.
According to Lancaster operator Hurricane Energy, the inspection identified the need for repairs which progressed over the past few days, and operations should re-start shortly.
Prior to the shutdown, the field was producing 17,000 b/d from its two wells.
Hurricane also revealed that a review by its technical committee has concluded that the oil-water contact in the field may be shallower than the range of oil water contacts envisaged by RPS Energy in its 2017 Competent Person’s Report.
This could lead to a marked downgrade of reserves attributable to the EPS and across the company’s basement west of Shetland portfolio, although the assessment does not take into account production enhancement options for Lancaster that are currently under evaluation.
