Serica preparing to bring third Rhum well online

Following intervention work, Serica Energy has completed a flow test on the Rhum R3 well in the UK North Sea with plans to start production in the third quarter of 2021.

Rhum is a gas condensate field producing from two subsea wells, R1 and R2, tied into the Bruce facilities through a 44-kilometre pipeline. The third well, R3, required intervention work before it could be brought online.

In an operational update for the Rhum R3 well, Serica said on Thursday that the new completion equipment has been successfully installed into R3 and a flow test has now been performed. A stabilised flow rate of 58.4mmscf/d of gas and 135bbls/d of condensate has been achieved through a 60/64ths inch choke.

This rate was constrained by the surface well test equipment onboard the WilPhoenix semi-submersible drilling rig and it is expected that the well will be able to produce at higher rates when in production. Serica contracted the Awilco Drilling-owned rig WilPhoenix for Rhum ops back in May 2020.

The rig started working on the Rhum field R3 project in October 2020 but experienced technical problems as well as weather delays, incurring additional costs to Serica for the project.

Serica also stated that a diving support vessel (DSV) has been contracted to install the subsea control equipment required so the well can start producing in 3Q 2021.

The successful recompletion of R3 will increase the Rhum production capacity utilising the existing facilities located on the Bruce platform. Serica has also recently extended the life of Bruce field through to 2030.

In related news, Serica in May 2021 encountered difficulties while drilling its Columbus well in the UK North Sea. As a result of additional operations, the Columbus well will take longer and cost more than expected, but will not affect the timing of the first production. The well is being drilled using a Maersk Drilling-owned jack-up rig, the Maersk Resilient.