Premier stepping up drilling in North Sea Catcher Area

Premier Oil expects to sanction development before mid-year of the Catcher North and Laverda oil accumulations in the UK central North Sea.

This will involve drilling two wells from a shared drill centre, both tied back to the Varadero field facilities (part of the Catcher Area development).

Drilling should start in mid-2020 with first oil targeted for early 2021.

In addition, the company plans an infill well on Varadero targeting resources beyond the reach of the initial two production wells. A 4D seismic survey across the Catcher Area this spring should help confirm further potential infill well locations.

Elsewhere in this region, strong performance from the Balmoral Area, comprising the Balmoral, Brenda, Nicol and Stirling fields, combined with cost control measures have allowed Premier to defer cessation of production until 2021.

The lease of the Banff FPSO, which handles the Kyle field’s production, has been extended to August 2019.

In the southern UK North Sea, the company has terminated gas production from the Rita and Hunter fields following ConocoPhillips’ closure of the Theddlethorpe gas processing terminal on the Lincolnshire coast.

At Easington, Centrica’s onshore gas reception terminal, preparations have started for modifications to receive Tolmount gas.

The four-well development drilling programme is due to start in mid-2020 with the first well set to come onstream in the fourth quarter that year.

Source: Offshore Magazine