Maersk starts production from Tyra Southeast-B in Danish North Sea

Maersk Oil has started oil and gas production from the Tyra Southeast-B unmanned platform, expected to add reserves of 50 million boe over the next 30 years.

The new platform, 220 km off Denmark’s west coast, will produce 20 million bbl of oil and 170 bscf of gas, peaking at 20,000 boe/d in 2017.

The Ensco 72 drilling rig in December started drilling the first well, were production is expected to reach 2,600 boe/d. Maersk plans to drill 8-12 horizontal wells, each 6-km-long, during 2015-17.

“The initial planning began 4 years ago, culminating with the final construction and installation [in] mid-2014,” said Martin Rune Pedersen, managing director of Maersk Oil’s Danish business unit, which operates the Danish Underground Consortium.

DUC is a partnership between AP Moller-Maersk with 31.2% interest, Royal Dutch Shell PLC 36.8%, Nordsofonden 20%, and Chevron Corp. 12%.

Pedersen said DUC has invested a total of $650 million in the project, representing the largest investment made by the consortium since approval of Phase IV development of Halfdan in 2007.

The investment covers drilling, pipelines, and the 4,700-tonne platform—the latter installed by Technip SA in 38 m of water (OGJ Online, June 24, 2014). The jacket and topside were constructed by Bladt Industries AS, a Danish contractor in Northern Jutland.