Premier updates North Sea, west of Shetland well campaigns

Offshore staff

LONDON – Total has started a four-well stimulation campaign in the Elgin-Franklin Area gas-condensate complex in the UK central North Sea.

Partner Premier Oil said a further rig-based intervention campaign could follow on three Franklin wells later in the year.

In the same region, Premier is monitoring the Catcher Area wells during gas reinjection to assess prospects for improved oil recovery from the various fields: indications so far are positive.

The recently Varadero infill well (VP1) should come onstream next month, helping to sustain plateau oil through the Catcher FPSO into 2021.

In addition, the partners may commission 4D seismic acquisition to de-risk other infill locations.

West of Shetland, the company’s recently drilled P3 well on the Solan oilfield encountered more than 2,300 ft (701 m) of net sand with good reservoir properties. Subsea tie-in activities are now under way – the well should lift production from Solan by around 10,000 b/d.

In the UK southern North Sea, Premier is developing the Tolmount gas field. The jacket and topsides have been loaded onto the Heerema Marine Contractors barge ahead of the planned sailaway at the end of this month.

COVID-19 restrictions kept the platform at Rossetti Marino’s yard in Ravenna, Italy for longer than expected, but the high level of completion at sailaway should lead to a minimal carryover of work offshore.

The platform should be installed at the field around the end of September/early October with the rig mobilizing afterwards to drill the four development wells.

Tolmount’s export pipeline has been laid, trenched and buried and rock placement, now in progress, will protect the pipeline crossing points. The shoreline pull-in has finished, while modification works continue on the onshore gas reception terminal.

First gas is scheduled for 2Q 2021. Following completion of the FEED for the Tolmount East development, Premier is assessing bids for the subsea umbilicals, risers, flowlines, subsea controls and wellheads ahead of a possible investment decision in December.

Tolmount East (and potentially the Mongour discovery, which could be drilled from the Tolmount East template), should help extend plateau production from the Tolmount area.

08/24/2020