NEW U.K. N. SEA GAS PROVINCE PRODUCING

Operators have inaugurated a major new gas province in the U.K. North Sea with start-up last week of gas production from two gas fields in U.K. North Sea Quadrant 44.

Conoco (U.K.) Ltd.'s Murdoch field and Total Oil Marine plc's Caister field were developed jointly to send gas to Conoco's Theddlethorpe terminal. Production from both is expected to peak at about 300 MMcfd in 1994. Importance of the Caister-Murdoch System (CMS) lies "in the opening up of a major undeveloped gas province in the southern basin," said Conoco Managing Director George Watkins. CMS has capacity of 750 MMcfd. Conoco has one discovery west of Murdoch and is discussing with Shell U.K. Exploration & Production possible development of Ketch and Schooner fields as satellites of CMS (OGJ, Mar. 22, p. 31). Caister gas is under contract to National Power plc for use at Killingholme power station on Humberside. Murdoch gas was sold to Kinetica Ltd., jointly owned by Conoco and Powergen plc.

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