Two more oil fields have gone on stream in the North Sea.
Production from Snorre oil field in Blocks 34/4 and 34/7 off Norway is gathering momentum after the field began flowing last month, 6 weeks early.
Operator Saga Petroleum AS reports that the second production well went on stream Sept. 1. Flow from the first well has stabilized at 32,000 b/d. The company is confident production will reach 100,000 b/d relatively quickly.
Off the U.K., BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. started production of 9,000 b/d from Leven field, which is tied back to Clyde field facilities on the same block, 30/17b. Production began Sept. 1.
SNORRE FIELD
Snorre is being developed using a tension leg platform in unison with a subsea production unit, which will be tied back to the TLP (OGJ, Aug. 17, p. 63). The subsea system is scheduled to go on stream late this year or early in 1993.
Six wells--four producers and two water injectors--were predrilled in the field. The TLP can handle 44 wells in all, the remainder of which will be drilled from the platform. Half will be used for production, while the rest will be for water injection.
Saga estimates Snorre reserves at 770 million bbl of oil. Peak production will average 190,000 b/d, to be achieved in 1994. About 60,000 b/d of this will come from the subsea unit. Field life is estimated at 30 years.
Phase 1 development costs to date are 16.6 billion kroner ($2.89 billion) to date, about 1.5 billion kroner ($260 million) under budget.
Saga said the TLP with subsea tieback contributed toward a 36% reduction in capital spending per barrel of oil produced, compared with a conventional platform system.
LEVEN FIELD
Leven is the first Clyde field satellite to go on stream.
"There is a potential for others to follow," said Dave Hart, BP's Clyde asset team manager. "The success of Leven will play a major part in enabling Clyde field to maintain its production at 30,000 b/d into the mid-1990s."
Leven, 4 km northwest of the Clyde platform, holds estimated recoverable reserves of 11.3 million bbl. Four other potential fields lie nearby and are being assessed for development.
Clyde began production in 1987 and produced 50,000 b/d of oil at peak. It produced 23,000 b/d last June and 24,000 b/d in July. It was developed using a lightweight steel platform.
Oil moves through the Fulmar field's tanker loading facility. Gas also goes to Fulmar for pipeline movement to the St. Fergus, Scotland, terminal.
A Leven water injection well planned for 1993 probably will be drilled from the Clyde platform.
Clyde partners are BP 51%, Shell (U.K.) Ltd. 24.5%, and Esso (U.K.) Ltd. 24.5%.
Copyright 1992 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
