From Houston (BN) and the UK: Husky Oil has received regulatory approval for its plan for expanded production from the South White Rose (SWRX) field (SEN, 29/22).

The field, in waters of 115-120m on the Grand Banks in the Atlantic Ocean, 350km east of St. John’s, Newfoundland, is a satellite to the main White Rose field which produces to the SeaRose fpso.

The C$1.2bn expansion plan provides for gas injection and additional subsurface storage of recovered gas. The development will be done via six subsea tiebacks to SeaRose with gas injection to begin later this year and first oil expected next year.

Targeted additional production from the plan is 33mmbbls including 6.5mmbbls from the South Avalon Terrace which is adjacent to the southern tip of the main reservoir.

The six wells will be two producers, one water injector and one gas injector in SWRX plus a single producer and a water injector in South Avalon.

There is some concern about early gas breakthrough in both structures which will be mitigated by a downhole Inflow Control Device at SWRX and a smart completion at South Avalon.

More to come

Husky also is well along with plans for a West White Rose addition, scheduled for completion in 2016-17. The company has produced 200mmbbls from White Rose – the original expected total recovery from the field – but with the new development expects to produce up to 200mmbbls more.

Husky’s activities offshore eastern Canada tend to be overshadowed by projects in western Canada and Asia, but it is an aggressive Atlantic player, currently awaiting results from the Harpoon exploration well led by partner Statoil in Flemish Pass.