GDF Suez E&P UK has taken a step toward development of its large Cygnus natural gas discovery in the southern gas basin of the UK North Sea.
The company let a front-end engineering design contract worth an estimated £50 million to AMEC, London, with an option to proceed into to the detailed design and procurement phase.
Jean-Claude Perdigues, managing director of GDF Suez E&P UK, said a final investment decision is due in 2012.
Last year Endeavour International Corp., a 12.5% partner, said well and seismic data indicated Cygnus might have 500 bcf to as much as 1.2 tcf of gas reserves (OGJ Online, July 7, 2010).