Neptune Energy started an infill drilling campaign at Cygnus gas field in the southern UK North Sea. Completion of the tenth well on the field is expected in this year’s fourth quarter.
Drilling is being carried out by Borr Drilling’s Prospector 1 jack up rig.
Cygnus is the largest natural gas discovery in the southern North Sea in over 30 years and is the largest single producing gas field in the UK, typically exporting over 250 MMscfd of gas. Part of the existing Cygnus field development plan, the tenth well holds the potential to provide enough additional gas to heat 200,000 UK homes this winter. Upon completion of the well, Cygnus will be capable of producing enough gas for about 2 million UK households, the company said.
Two drilling centers target 10 wells. Cygnus Alpha consists of three bridge-linked platforms: a wellhead drilling center, a processing-utilities unit and living quarters-central control room. Cygnus Bravo, an unmanned satellite platform, is about 7 km northwest of Cygnus Alpha.
Gas is exported via a 55-km pipeline. Cygnus connects via the Esmond Transmission System (ETS) pipeline to the gas-treatment terminal at Bacton, Norfolk. Neptune holds a 25% minority interest in ETS.
Neptune Energy is operator at Cygnus with 38.75% interest. Spirit Energy holds 61.25%.
