Offshore staff
LONDON – IOG plc has issued an update on the second Phase 1 well at the Blythe gas field development in the UK southern North Sea.
The jackup Noble Hans Deul drilled well 48/23a-H1 to 10,750 ft (3,277 m) MD, intersecting 1,238 ft (377 m) of good quality Permian Leman Sandstone reservoir along hole between 9,403 and 10,641 ft (2,866 and 3,243 m), and recently flow tested a maximum rate of 45.5 MMcf/d through an 80/64-in. choke.
Based on initial analysis, the field’s in-place and recoverable volumes are in line with pre-drill expectations.
Drilling performance has improved compared to the earlier Elgood well, helped by the collaboration between the company’s drilling, subsurface and HSE teams, drilling contractors Noble Corp. and Schlumberger, and the well operator, Petrofac.
However, there was a loss of drilling mud due to natural fracturing in the reservoir. This necessitated use of lost circulation materials downhole which may have restricted the clean-up flow rate, with drilling mud recovered to surface during clean-up.
So further analysis will be needed to determine the amount of condensate produced.
The well will produce through the Blythe normally unmanned platform, with production exported via a new 12-in. pipeline that connects to the main 24-in. Saturn Banks pipeline to Bacton in Norfolk.
IOG anticipates first gas from Blythe and Elgood during 4Q, once final subsea and onshore installations have been completed.
The Noble Hans Deul will soon transfer to the Southwark field to spud the next production well through the Southwark platform.
After Southwark, the Goddard and Southern Hub appraisal wells will be next up in mid-2022.
09/29/2021
