By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 24 -- Partners in the Buzzard oil discovery in the UK North Sea have completed the last of three wells under their appraisal program and will begin development of that field.
The discovery, which lies in license areas P986/P928, is estimated to contain reserves of more than 400 million bbl of oil. Tests confirming these reserves were completed earlier this year (OGJ Online, Feb. 6, 2002).
Calgary-based EnCana Corp. holds 45.01% of license area P986, which contains the Buzzard discovery well. Other P986 license holders are Intrepid Energy North Sea Ltd. 30%, BG Group PLC 19.99%, and Edinburgh Oil & Gas PLC 5%. License area P928 interest holders are EnCana 35.29%, Intrepid Energy 29.41%, BG 29.41%, and Edinburgh 5.88%.
A total of eight wells and sidetracks have been drilled on the Buzzard structure since the discovery was made last year, BG said (OGJ, June 18, 2001, p. 8). The partners have started to acquire a new 3D development seismic survey over the field and they expect to award a front-end engineering design contract in August. First production is expected to begin in late 2005 or early 2006.
"If all goes well, we hope to submit a field development plan. . .at the end of 2002 or early 2003," said Jon Wormley, BG group executive vice-president, UK. Two of the recent wells, Wormley said, have confirmed the nature and extent of the field, while a third well has established a significant reservoir section in license area P928.