Kerr-McGee Oil (U.K.) plc has received U.K. Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) approval to develop Janice discovery, which lies in 300 ft of water on U.K. North Sea Block 30/17.
Elsewhere off the U.K., Lasmo plc has been given the green light for Larch development.
Janice
Kerr-McGee's Janice field has estimated reserves of 70 million bbl of oil.
Development will require tying back subsea horizontal production and injection wells to a floating production unit.
The floater will be a converted semisubmersible accommodation unit, which has been purchased by the operator from Smedvig AS, Stavanger. Conversion will be carried out by Aker McNulty Ltd., Tyneside, U.K.
First production is due in third quarter 1998. Output is expected to peak at 55,000 b/d. Kerr-McGee said the Janice floater has excess capacity, so it can act as a hub for future developments in the area.
Larch
DTI has approved a plan by Lasmo to develop Block 16/12a Larch discovery as a subsea satellite of nearby Brae A platform, operated by Marathon Oil U.K. Ltd.
Two development wells will be drilled by the Santa Fe 135 semisubmersible. Subsea production equipment will be installed later this year. First oil is slated for first quarter 1998.
Larch has estimated reserves of 10 million bbl of oil and 10 bcf of gas. Lasmo says nearby North Larch and Maple prospects could be developed through Larch, while development of nearby Pine and Elm finds will depend on the success of the Larch project.
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