Offshore staff
STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Producing wells with a high gas-oil ratio linked to the Alvheim FPSO in the Norwegian North Sea have been constrained of late, according to partner Lundin Petroleum.
This is due to limitations on the gas processing capacity at theAlvheim FPSO, although operator Aker BP has addressed the issue via an upgrade of the vessel’s gas export compressor, resulting in increased gas handling capacity.
This June drilling of theViper and Kobra development wells was completed, with both expected to start-up through the Alvheim facilities by the end of this year.
Both wells were drilled into good-quality reservoir sands: the Kobra well was modified into a dual-branch well with one branch completed in a shallower and previously unmapped reservoir section above the main reservoir.
This well was also extended to test the Kobra east exploration prospect, encountering an oil-filled reservoir. A further Alvheim infill well is set to be drilled next year.
At Volund, another subsea tieback, the semisubmersibleTransocean Winner should complete two new infill wells next month, followed by start-up during the second half of 2017.
An exploration well is likely next year on the Volund West prospect, estimated to contain 7 MMboe.
Production from the Lundin-operatedEdvard Grieg field in the same sector was above expectations during 3Q at 38,600 boe/d, which was due to strong reservoir performance and uptime.
The first two water injector wells have been drilled, both encountering better than expected reservoir sands and pressure communication with the production wells.
Production capacity from Edvard Grieg’s first three wells has also exceeded expectations with the reservoir pressure depletion rate more favorable than anticipated. Facilities uptime during 3Q averaged 96%, with production continuing in spite of the planned shutdown of the UK’s Sage gas terminal, with produced gas re-injected into the reservoir during this program.
However, facilities uptime will be impacted for a limited period to accommodate the tie-in of production fromAker BP’s Ivar Aasen field.
Lundin adds that results from the two water injectors confirmed that there are additional resources at Edvard Grieg. The company plans an appraisal well next year on the southwestern part of the field, roughly 2 km (1.2 mi) south of the second water injector, results of which could increase reserves further.
Drilling of the fourthEdvard Grieg producer continues, with start-up set for year-end, at which point the field should attain plateau production of 100,000 boe/d.
In total 14 development wells will be drilled with the program due to finish in 2018.
Lundin’s share of production from the Brynhild field - a cross-border subsea tieback to theHaewen Brim FPSO on the Pierce field in UK waters - fell in 3Q due to temporarily lower well capacity with the water injection system taken off-line since August.
This system is unlikely to resume operations until early 2017, when a faulty injection pump will have been repaired.
Between now and end-2017 Lundin expects to drill six exploration wells offshore Norway targeting net unrisked prospective resources of more than 500 MMboe.
The exploration focused for the remainder of this year is on theLoppa High in the southern Barents Sea with the ongoing Neiden re-entry well in license PL609, targeting 204 MMboe, followed by a well on the Filicudi prospect in PL533, targeting 258 MMboe.
Next year Lundin will participate in the Volund West well in the North Sea and another on a potential northern extension of the Johan Sverdrup field. The other two wells will be in the southern Barents Sea, one being on either the Hellemobotn or Borselv prospects, both on-trend and north of the company’s Alta discovery, with estimated gross resource potential of more than 300 MMboe in each case.
The second well will target one segment of the shallower horizons within the multi-billion barrel Korpfjell prospect in PL859 (WI 15%) in the southeastern Barents Sea.
Lundin’s 2017 appraisal program will comprise four wells, with one on the western flank of the Edvard Grieg field in PL338 targeting 30 MMboe.
The others will appraise the Alta/Gohta discoveries on the Loppa High in the southern Barents Sea, one to be drilled centrally on the Gohta in PL492. The other two will both be on Alta: one in the south on a mapped extension of the discovery into PL492, and one centrally on theAlta discovery in PL609.
Elsewhere, Lundin will participate in the A6 development well on the E17a-A field in the Dutch North Sea, and will likely drill two infill wells as operator on the Bertam field offshore Malaysia.
11/02/2016
