Spirit Energy gives another three years of life to North Sea gas field

Spirit Energy has given another three years of life with an additional £13 million ($16.7Mn) investment to its operated York gas field in the Southern North Sea.

Located approximately 34km from the North East Yorkshire coastline, York achieved first gas in 2013 and was expected to produce until 2020.

However, Spirit Energy said on Wednesday that the recently approved York Life Extension Project, aimed at maximising economic recovery of the field, will extend production until 2023/24.

The project will tap into an additional 18 billion cubic feet of gas.

The works will be phased across 2020-2021 and will comprise activity both onshore and offshore.

This includes platform and control system modifications, onshore tie-ins, and well intervention on the Y1 well.

The £13 million investment will re-route York gas to the Dimlington Gas Terminal, accessing its onshore gas compression facility, moving from its previous export route via the Easington Gas Terminal.

The project extends the life of a North Sea field which has produced 45 billion cubic feet of gas over the past eight years.

Girish Kabra, Director of Spirit Energy’s North Sea Operated Assets, said: “York has been an important part of Spirit Energy’s North Sea portfolio for eight years, so we are delighted to not only boost production from the field but also extend its life. Fields like York demonstrate the importance of focused late-life management to maximise the potential of as many North Sea fields as possible”.

Kabra, who assumed the role of Asset Director with Spirit Energy while the business was preparing for the cessation of production of York, added: “This project is a great example of the industry’s and regulator’s shared objective of delivering maximised economic recovery for the UK”.

Alistair Macfarlane, SNS and EIS Area Manager with the Oil and Gas Authority said: “The re-route is a good example of innovative thinking and collaboration between multiple operators to look beyond the boundaries of current configurations to extend the field life of York and Maximise Economic Recovery.

“The SNS still has 3,779 bcf of reserves and examples like this provide opportunity and valuable activity for the UK supply chain as we actively adapt ourselves toward energy transition”.