Total’s deepwater Laggan-Tormore gas condensate development west of Shetland will now start production in 2015 instead of the original planned start date at the end of 2014, according to partner DONG Energy of Denmark.

The French operator is developing the two UK fields at a cost of around US $5.5 billion, including the construction of a gas processing plant and export pipeline to receive the gas from the long-distance subsea-to-shore development.

Total E&P UK is the operator with an 80% stake, with DONG holding the other 20%.

Dong said in its recent interim results: “The operator of the Laggan-Tormore field is currently reviewing delays in the construction of the gas treatment plant in the Shetland Islands. It is DONG Energy’s expectation that production start-up from the field will be postponed from the end of 2014 to 2015.”

Total kicked off Laggan-Tormore in 2010, with the company still aiming to complete construction by the end of the year. Once onstream, the fields are expected to produce up to 90,000 boe/d at peak.

Offshore