EnQuest: First oil flows from Scolty and Crathes development (UK)

UK-based oil exploration and production company EnQuest achieved first oil from the Scolty/Crathes development in the UK sector of the North Sea on Monday, November 21, 2016.

Scolty and Crathes oil fields are located in Blocks 21/8a, 21/12c and 21/13a of the central North Sea sector of the UK continental shelf in an area with water depths varying from 95 m to 105 m.

EnQuest is the operator of the development with a 50% working interest with MOL Growest (II) Ltd holding 50%. The operator sanctioned the development with a net development cost of approximately $125 million in December 2015.

The development consists of two single horizontal wells tied back over via subsea pipeline 25km in a ‘daisy chain’ fashion to the Kittiwake host platform. Oil from Scolty and Crathes will be exported via the Forties Pipeline System.

EnQuest said on Monday that, following the successful drilling of the Scolty and Crathes wells in 2Q 2016 and subsequent full completion of subsea and topsides scopes, including commissioning of the integrated system, the first production wing valve at Scolty/Crathes development is now open and the first well is flowing.

EnQuest CEO Amjad Bseisu said: “EnQuest is pleased to confirm the delivery of first oil from Scolty/Crathes ahead of schedule and under budget, approximately a year after the Field Development Plan (FDP) was approved and the project was sanctioned. This was the only offshore pure oil FDP approval in the UK North Sea in 2015. Unit operating costs are expected to be under $15/bbl in the initial peak volume years and production is anticipated to continue until 2025.

“We thank our partners MOL Energy for their support and co-operation. I congratulate the project team, our contractors and sub-contractors – in particular Petrofac, Technip, Stena Drilling and ADIL – for the timely delivery of this project, through an impressive collaborative effort. The realization of the potential of these ‘small pools’ has been enabled by cost efficiency, technology application and solid delivery.

“The Oil and Gas Authority was set up to enable Maximising Economic Recovery (‘MER’) of oil and gas in the UK and Scolty/Crathes is an excellent example of MER being put into practice.”

Andy Samuel, Chief Executive of the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) said: “The safe and successful first oil milestone from Scolty and Crathes is testament to EnQuest and MOL’s efforts, working at pace and in excellent collaboration with the service sector to create efficiencies and value. This has unlocked the economic recovery of a small pools development and sustains the wider Greater Kittiwake Area and infrastructure. It embodies good asset stewardship which is crucial to achieving MER UK.”

Production from the Scolty/Crathes fields is expected to continue until 2025 which also extends the life of the Greater Kittiwake area hub to 2025.

Offshore Energy Today Staff