Offshore staff
LONDON — IOG has produced first gas from the Blythe H2 well in the UK southern North Sea, part of the Southern Banks gas development.
Startup was a little later than planned after the loss of 34 days due to a well control incident.
Analysis of pressure and temperature data from the well test indicated that a downhole restriction above the reservoir is choking back production. Pressure buildup data since the test suggests reservoir permeability is in line with pre-drill expectations, so the issue may be mechanical rather than reservoir driven—potentially a partially activated downhole valve.
Downhole equipment to resolve the apparent downhole mechanical blockage should reach the rig in the next fortnight; this will be used to assess the valve and, if necessary, manually activate it. If successful, this could increase H2 flow rates by about the end of June to 30 MMcf/d to 40 MMcf/d.
The produced gas heads to the Saturn Banks reception facilities and Bacton terminal on the Norfolk coast
The Blythe H1 well was shut in as planned. Post-intervention, the plan is to produce initially from H2 only, to flush formation water out of the Saturn Banks pipeline system and reduce associated opex.
Following a period of shut in to allow the water levels to re-equilibrate, H1 will be re-opened periodically at lower rates to flow gas and condensate with limited water production.
06.13.2023
