Maersk advances work in Danish North Sea

Maersk Oil has let two contracts to Technip for work associated with gas lift in two small fields in the Danish North Sea connected to the Tyra oil and gas producing center, an area where it has a larger project under way.

Technip will fabricate and install riser caissons on the unmanned wellhead platforms on Valdemar and Roar oil and gas fields to support gas lift. Both small fields are in decline.

Maersk plans to extend development of Roar field with the drilling of up to three wells from the existing platform. According to the Danish Energy Agency (DEA), the operator estimates the first well will increase gas production by a total of 300 million cu m.

To the south, Technip also will fabricate and install an 18-km, 8-in. diameter flowline between the Rolf A and Gorm E platforms and perform related services.

The larger project is installation of a four-legged platform in 38 m of water on Tyra Southeast field. The platform will accommodate 16 wells. The DEA said Maersk expects 12 wells planned initially to boost Tyra Southeast production by 3.3 million cu m of oil and 4.6 billion cu m of natural gas.

The new platform will be bridge-linked to an existing, unmanned platform on the field. The project includes a new pipeline to carry natural gas from Tyra East field for gas lift.

Production from the new platform is to begin next year from Danian and Upper Cretaceous chalk reservoirs at depths of about 2,050 m.

Maersk operates Tyra area fields on behalf of the Danish Underground Consortium, in which it holds a 31.2% interest. Other consortium members are Shell 36.8%, state-owned Danish North Sea Fund 20%, and Chevron 12%.