Engie E&P UK starts gas production from Cygnus Bravo in North Sea

Aug. 8, 2017
Engie E&P UK Ltd. has started natural gas production from Cygnus Bravo, the satellite wellhead platform in the firm’s operated Cygnus development in the southern North Sea.

Engie E&P UK Ltd. has started natural gas production from Cygnus Bravo, the satellite wellhead platform in the firm’s operated Cygnus development in the southern North Sea.

Gas from Bravo on Aug. 1 was exported 7 km southeast to Cygnus Alpha, which itself has been producing at a plateau of 250 MMcfd since last December (OGJ Online, Dec. 21, 2016). Combined output then travels from the Alpha processing unit, 150 km offshore Lincolnshire, UK, via a 55-km link to the Esmond Transmission System that ultimately lands at the Bacton gas terminal in Norfolk.

The overall Cygnus complex comprises four platforms and two subsea structures, serving an estimated field size of 250 sq km.

Bravo gas flowed from Well B5 in one of the platform’s 10-well slots out of 20 across the whole Cygnus complex. A further three Bravo wells are expected to come online during August with a total of five available in 2018 after drilling of Well B1 is completed.

Cygnus has estimated 2P reserves of 110 million boe and an expected production life of more than 20 years. In addition to output from the complex itself, the partners are evaluating further opportunities in the Greater Cygnus area with the aim of bringing additional volumes through Cygnus when capacity becomes available (OGJ, Aug. 7, 2017, p. 40).

Cygnus was discovered in 1988 and sanctioned in 2012 following the UK government’s decision to introduce a field allowance for new large gas fields in shallow water.

Engie E&P UK has 38.75% interest in Cygnus. Partners Centrica PLC and Bayerngas GMBH have 48.75% and 12.5%, respectively. An agreement to merge Centrica’s European oil and gas exploration and production business and Bayerngas Norge AS was struck last month (OGJ Online, July 17, 2017).