From 2013 ShareFair, Aberdeen: Total has begun FEED work on the Tormore oil rim prospect, SEN has learned.

While drilling one of the Tormore gas production wells, part of its Laggan/Tormore (SEN, 29/7) deepwater gas development west of the Shetlands, earlier this year, it struck oil downdip of the main gas reservoir.

Full details of the estimated recoverable reserves were not revealed, but SEN was told that they are ‘big enough to be interesting’ and this was taken to mean, considering the remote location and the water depth (600m), at least 100mmbbls.

Troika of options
Early conceptual work has brought up at least three possible development options: a subsea tieback to an offshore facility; a standalone facility; and a tieback to shore.

The latter seems the most unlikely as it would involve a 140km tieback to Sullom Voe or more than three times the longest ever oil tieback, but SEN was told that Total’s subsea team did not want to rule out any option at an early stage.

A small standalone floater could be one of the circular Sevan designs, but Total has also looked a buoy concept. Lastly, an offshore tieback could be to Chevron’s Rosebank (30/9) fpso which at 50km would be challenging considering both the distance and the water depth (1,100m) at the floater site, but one to BP’s Clair complex would be much less so as the field is closer, probably 30-40km, and in relatively shallow water, no more than 140m.

While on activity west of the Shetlands, Total is also looking at Tobermory (29/16) which would be very challenging at 175km to one of the tees on the SIRGE (Shetland Islands Regional Gas Export) system, while DONG’s Glenlivet (29/16) will be much closer to all of the infrastructure.

These activities do not include Edradour (30/13) which is already in the FEED stage and for which some tenders are already in the marketplace.

There are other interested North Sea players as well. Nexen which picked up 41 licences (out of 43 sought) in the recent 27th round, many WoS, has formed a new deepwater drilling team made up of personnel from the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and China. It is unlikely, though, if there will be any spudding until at least 2016. While Nexen has been cash-constrained before this year, its acquisition by CNOOC has given it access to more funds for a big exploration programme.