By the OGJ Online Staff
LONDON, Feb. 6 -- BG Group PLC said Wednesday that further testing of the Buzzard 20/6-4 appraisal well in the UK North Sea confirms reserves of more than 400 million bbl.
The well recently flowed at aggregate rates of 11,100 b/d day of light oil on a 36/64-in. choke in a drillstem test of two separate zones.
PanCanadian Energy Corp. operates Buzzard on license P986. The 20/6-4 appraisal is 2.1 km north of the discovery well, which was drilled last summer 100 km northeast of Aberdeen (OGJ Online, Jan. 17, 2002).
PanCanadian has been working on a potential £1 billion development for the field using two large installations, each with 10,000-tonne platforms. They would provide work for Scotland's offshore yards, which need contracts following a downturn in North Sea activity.
BG said, "These flow rates reinforce the extent of the excellent quality reservoir in the Buzzard discovery. The next step is to sidetrack the well to continue delineation of the reservoir and so move the project one more step towards sanction."
The 20/6-5 well was being drilled 2 km northeast of the 20/6-4 appraisal. The goal was to identify the location of the oil-water contact in the central panel of the field and to undertake water tests. There are no plans to drillstem test the well for hydrocarbons.
The Buzzard discovery was drilled in 320 ft of water. It flowed 6,547 b/d day of light oil and 0.97 MMcfd of gas on a 36/64-in. choke. Rates were constrained by the limits of the testing equipment. The reserves announced at the time were 200-300 million bbl.
PanCanadian Energy has 45.01% of Buzzard, Intrepid Energy North Sea Ltd. 30%, BG Group 19.99%, and Edinburgh Oil & Gas PLC 5%.
BG Group PLC has announced today to the Stock Exchange that further results from the Buzzard 20/6-4 appraisal well northeast of Aberdeen confirm reserve figures of in excess of 400 million bbl, as announced by BG Group on Jan. 17, 2002.