Sillimanite South goes onstream in the North Sea

Jan. 14, 2021
Wintershall Noordzee has started production from the Sillimanite South field in the Dutch North Sea.

Offshore staff

RIJSWIJK, the Netherlands – Wintershall Noordzee has started production from the Sillimanite South field in the Dutch North Sea.

The D12-B3 discovery well, drilled last year, was converted directly to a producer.

“Delivery of a well directly from the exploration phase straight into the production phase is a unique performance,” said Jone Hess, the company’s managing director.

“Doing so whilst having to operate under stringent measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic makes it even more so.” He acknowledged the support given by Maersk Drilling and the supply chain.

The well was connected to the D12-B production satellite platform, close to the UK median line. From there, produced gas is transported via the Neptune Energy-operated D15-A production platform through the NGT (Noordgastransport) gas transportation system to the mainland.

Sillimanite is a unitized gas field in block 44/19a on the UK side and blocks D12a and D12b on the Dutch side. Development was made possible following a treaty between the UK and Dutch governments that took effect in July 2018.

Sillimanite South is entirely in block D12a. Both fields produce gas from Carboniferous sandstone reservoirs at a depth of around 3,700 m (12,139 ft) below sea level.

Other partners in the development are EBN and Neptune Energy.

01/14/2021