From Share Fair 2014, Aberdeen: Apache Energy is about to prove that lightning can strike twice.

Having resurrected the Forties field after acquiring it from BP more than a decade aqo, it is about to do the same with the Beryl complex which it took over from ExxonMobil at the back end of 2011 (SEN, 28/13), it was learned here.

Its ambitious plans include a major investment in the subsea fields - primarily Ness and Nevis - that surround the two Beryl platforms. Apache has two rig share deals - one with on Ocean Patriot (Shell) and the other for WilPhoenix (TAQA) which will allow it drill some of these new wells, although others stretch further out to the future (2018).

Cheaper by the dozen?

The plans are for at least a dozen new producers - with one on Ness and three at Nevis next year.

There are two more each in 2016-17 and four in 2018.

There is also a significant amount of remedial work around the complex. These include the replacement of production, water injection and gas lift lines; at least three new subsea distribution units; and new signal/power cables and umbilicals.

Also on the cards are additional Forties area wells at Bacchus (31/10) where a fourth producer will be drilled, while the first will be converted to water injection and the drilling of the Aviat gas field. The latter is being developed to provide fuel gas for the Forties complex. The rigs may also be used for the abandonment of some depleted subsea wells.

All of this activity is in addition to major platform drilling programmes at the two Beryl facilities.

Apache did not say what additional reserves are expected to be produced at Beryl, but it has given a new figure for the Forties complex and it is staggering. When it acquired Forties in 2003, the remaining reserves were quoted as 144mmbbls. It has already produced 200mmbbls and says there are another 800mmbbls in place to keep the complex producing for at least another 20 years.

The main reason for this event is for operators to engage with suppliers on upcoming tenders and there are many coming up with Apache including: a new flowline for the Ness-Nevis infill programme that will be tendered in early 2015 for delivery in 2016; flowline and jumpers for the same programme to be tendered before the end of this year; and a plem and spools for Aviat which will be tendered this month.

The latter, a 23km tieback, will be developed with two wells on a four-slot manifold. First gas is due in mid 2016 with a field life of 15 years based on P50 reserves of 1.6bcm.

Technology hub

The UK North Sea is seen as a key technology testbed for Total and it has plans for a major project within the next five years.

With Laggan-Tormore ready to begin producing gas early next year and Edradour and Glenlivet already penciled in to follow (see story, Project Updates), Total has turned future thoughts to Tobermory (29/16).

This will be the most challenging of its West of Shetlands gas projects with a water depth of 1,600m and the tieback distance of 180km.

Total is already thinking all-electric here and the key piece of the development puzzle will be a subsea chemical storage concept to reduce the umbilical to power and signal. Studies are underway with Doris Engineering and Total told SEN that it is only looking at new technical solutions.

Another area that Total will focus on here will be boosting production around its Elgin-Franklin complex having not long resumed operations after the major leak in 2012.

Next year it will have four heavyduty jackups drilling on the complex including what could be the first hp/ht subsea wells in that area.

It would be difficult not to mention the current big focus on cost - every speaker at this event did not fail to mention it.

Here is why operators are concerned: Total developed Elgin-Franklin in 2001 at a cost of £1.5bn to recover just under 700mmbbls. Laggan-Tormore has cost £3.3bn to recover 235mboe. Do the math: more than double the cost to recover one-third the reserves. It is more complex than that, but it is not a bad place to start.

Dana Petroleum gave updates on three future projects in UK waters. Tolmount (31/8), a significant gas discovery in the UK southern North Sea, is moving towards sanction. E.On (50%) operates for sole partner Dana.

Work continues on the Arran gas condensate field in the central North Sea. It is due to be a subsea development with two drill centres, three or four wells and a pipe-in-pipe tie-back. Offtake options are being evaluated.

Meanwhile, offtake options are also being evaluated for the Platypus gas field in the southern North Sea. A minimum facilities platform with four wells is expected (IF).

SHARE FAIR SHORTS: Chevron is planning a 3-D seismic shoot on acreage off Greenland in 2015...BP is celebrating 50 years of activity in the North Sea having discovered the West Sole gas field in the Southern Basin in 1964...The twin leased fpso’s which Total will use at Kaombo (31/14) will be turret moored, while all four previous Angola floaters have been spreadmoored...EnQuest has Scolty-Crathes and Avalon in its sights as tiebacks to its recently acquired Greater Kittiwake Area asset while also planning to bring Gadwall back into production....Centrica Energy director of projects Myrtle Dawes said the challenge for her company was not a lack of opportunities, but that the cost of delivering them had become too high (IF).

Offshore