BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. started up production at 15,000 b/d last week from the offshore extension of Wytch Farm oil field, Dorset, U.K.
The 80 million bbl offshore Sherwood reservoir was targeted by the F18 extended reach well, drilled from an existing onshore drilling pad 2.4 miles away on Goathorn Peninsula.
DRILLING DETAILS
The F18 well reached a total measured depth of 14,860 ft.
To encounter the reservoir at a true vertical depth of 4,900 ft, the drill bit had to be directed down, out, and then updip into the formation.
BP spudded a second well aimed at the offshore reservoir, with a planned extended reach of 15,700 ft.
A third well is also planned to reach 16,400 ft from the drill pad.
"This first well has effectively doubled the horizontal distance previously achieved at Wytch Farm," said David Rodger, offshore development manager at the field.
"The drilling of the well conformed with our predictions and is a good indicator of our ability to drill extended reach wells up to a distance of 3.8 miles."
WYTCH FARM HISTORY
Total Wytch Farm reserves were originally estimated at 300 million bbl of oil.
Production from the onshore reservoir began in 1979,
Current production from the onshore reservoirs is 80,000 b/d of oil.
Various options to deplete the offshore reservoir were considered, including construction of an artificial island in Poole Bay.
BP eventually chose directional drilling from an onshore site on economic grounds, although environmentalists had protested against the island plan.
Wytch Farm field partners and their respective interests are operator BP 50.475%, ARCO British Ltd., 17.334%, Premier Consolidated Oilfields plc 12.381%, Clyde Petroleum (Dorset) Ltd. 7.429%, Purbeck Exploration Ltd., 7.429%, and Goal Petroleum plc 4.952%.
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