Well intervention brings production boost for North Sea field

Well intervention activities have been carried out at the Bittern field located in the North Sea, boosting its production.

Tailwind Energy announced a successful well intervention in the Dana-operated Bittern field earlier this week.

According to Tailwind, on well PA-A2, new perforations were added to the upper reservoir and a water shut-off plug in the lower reservoir section, delivering an increase in oil rate of c. 3,000 boe/d above the pre-existing oil rate of c. 1,000 boe/d.

The Bittern oil and gas field is located in Blocks 29/1a and 29/1b, 22km southeast of the Triton FPSO. The field was discovered in 1996 and has been developed through five production wells and two water injection wells via a subsea tie-back to the Triton FPSO. The first production started in April 2000. Oil production is exported from the Triton FPSO via a shuttle tanker and gas is exported via the SEGAL gas line.

The North Sea field is operated by Dana Petroleum with Tailwind supporting the operator by managing the subsurface work program.

Previous well intervention campaigns were carried out on the field in 2019 and 2020 and the B5 sidetrack of one of the existing Bittern wells (B2z) was completed in 2020.

In 1Q 2021, Tailwind sanctioned the combined Evelyn Phase 1 development and the Gannet E Expansion project. By October 2021, the Evelyn development well was drilled, completed, and tested, using the Stena Don rig. The well was managed and operated by Petrofac and then left suspended in preparation for the future installation of subsea facilities and pipeline planned for 2022.

The company is now developing the Evelyn field with a single horizontal production well, a new valve skid local to the new well, a subsea production pipeline, a gas lift pipeline and an umbilical tied back to the Triton FPSO. The field is expected to be in production via the Triton FPSO.

According to information on Tailwind’s website, the first oil from Evelyn and the new Gannet E flowline is planned for 4Q 2022. The fourth Gannet E well will be drilled in 4Q 2022 with a tie-in to Triton in 1Q 2023. Petrofac has already secured the Stena Don rig for a one-firm well campaign on the Gannet E field.

The contract with Petrofac includes an option to extend for up to three optional wells on behalf of other clients with an estimated total option scope duration of 55 days.