British Gas plc has started oil production from Cercina field, north of the Kerkennah Islands off Tunisia.
Initial oil flow is about 1,000 b/d from one well, although production is expected to rise quickly to 4,000 b/d by two more wells completed during field appraisal.
The production volume, although small, is important to Tunisia because the country produced only 89,000 b/d of oil during the first 2 months of 1994. Production was off 14,000 b/d from the same period of 1993.
Cercina lies in the West Kerkennah permit, which includes offshore acreage and three onshore producing fields (OGJ, Oct. 25, 1993, p. 28).
The concession is owned by operator British Gas and Tunisian State Oil Co. (ETAP), which holds a 51% interest.
Cercina was developed using three subsea wellheads sending oil by flow line to a production ship for processing prior to storage aboard barges. The barges carry the crude to an export terminal at La Skira.
British Gas said this development method was chosen to accelerate production and acquisition of reservoir information, which will then be used to plan development of the field.
The West Kerkennah permit's Rhemoura, Gremda/El Ain, and El Hajab/Guebiba onshore developments currently produce a total 4,500 b/d of oil, which is processed locally and transported to La Skira terminal for export.
Cercina forms part of a 497 million ($745 million) development program by British Gas in Tunisia. This will include Miskar offshore gas field, with reserves of 1 tcf, where production is to start in 1995.
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