TEXACO PLACES NORTH SEA FIELD ON PRODUCTION

A group led by Texaco North Sea U.K. Co. began oil production from Strathspey field in the U.K. North Sea late last year. Texaco's share of Strathspey production will be 15,000 b/d at first. The field is expected to have gross peak production of 45,000 b/d of liquids and 114 MMcfd of gas, of which Texaco's share will be 30,000 b/d and 76 MMcfd. Combined with the company's other North Sea production, Strathspey will boost Texaco's projected U.K. North Sea production in 1994 to

Jan. 10, 1994

2 min read

A group led by Texaco North Sea U.K. Co. began oil production from Strathspey field in the U.K. North Sea late last year.

Texaco's share of Strathspey production will be 15,000 b/d at first. The field is expected to have gross peak production of 45,000 b/d of liquids and 114 MMcfd of gas, of which Texaco's share will be 30,000 b/d and 76 MMcfd. Combined with the company's other North Sea production, Strathspey will boost Texaco's projected U.K. North Sea production in 1994 to about 100,000 b/d and 112 MMcfd.

Texaco called Strathspey, which went on stream Dec. 26, the largest oil and gas/condensate field developed subsea in the region. It is a 1975 discovery.

Reserves are 80 million bbl of oil, 334 bcf of gas, and 10 million bbl of natural gas liquids. Oil lies in middle Jurassic Brent group sandstones in a reservoir topped at 9,100 ft, while a Triassic to lower jurassic reservoir topped at 9,800 ft holds gas/condensate underlain by an oil rim.

Strathspey's two reservoirs are tied together by a 950 ton manifold installed on the seabed last May.

The field is being developed with as many as 14 producing wells and three water injection wells. Two of the producing wells use advanced horizontal drilling technology to drain the oil rim of the Statfjord reservoir.

Chevron Petroleum Co. Ltd.'s Central Ninian platform will control the field and process its oil and gas, while the South Ninian platform will provide injection water at a projected rate of 88,000 b/d. Strathspey oil flows to the Central Ninian platform, then to Sullom Voe, Shetland Islands. Gas destination is St. Fergus, Scotland, via the Flags pipeline.

Strathspey lies in Block 3/4a, 300 miles northeast of Aberdeen, in 450 ft of water.

Field partners are Texaco 67%, Esso Exploration & Production U.K. Ltd. and Shell U.K. Ltd. 13.25% each, and Oryx U.K. Energy Co. 6.5%.