Redevelopment plan submitted for Tor field in North Sea

ConocoPhillips has submitted a plan for development and operation to the Norwegian authorities for redevelopment of Tor oil and gas field in the Greater Ekofisk area in the southern part of the Norwegian North Sea. The development concept—at a total investment cost of 6 billion kroner—involves installing two subsea templates tied into the Ekofisk Complex with production expected to restart in late 2020. Recoverable reserves are estimated at 10 million standard cu m of oil equivalent.

Tor, discovered in 1970, lies 13 km northeast of Ekofisk field in 70 m of water with a reservoir depth of 3,200 m. The field mainly lies on Block 2/4 in production license 018, but a small part extends into Block 2/5 in PL 006. 

Developed with a combined wellhead and processing facility tied back to Ekofisk field, Tor produced oil and gas from fractured chalk of Late Cretaceous age in the Tor formation and of early Paleocene age in the Ekofisk formation from 1978 by natural pressure depletion. The well stream was transported by pipelines to the processing facility at the Ekofisk Centre and further to Teesside in the UK and Emden in Germany. Water injection started in 1992 but was stopped after 10 years due to well integrity problems. Production was shut down in 2015 when the installation reached the end of its lifetime. At shutdown, only 20% of the resources in place had been produced.

According to the formal disposal resolution, the facility has to be removed by the end of 2022. ConocoPhillips is operator with 30.66%.

Contact Mikaila Adams at [email protected].