Trent and Tyne Fields in UK North Sea Produce First Gas

abarrelfull wrote on 26 Jul 2012 06:28
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07 November 1996

The Trent and Tyne gas fields, operated by ARCO on behalf of itself and partner Talisman, produced first gas today, following a fast track, simultaneous development plan of the two fields with first gas coming 18 months after Annex B approval.

Trent field, located in block 43/24, and Tyne field, located in block 44/18, represent ARCO's first operated Carboniferous gas field developments and Talisman's first gas field developments in the North Sea. The Trent facility complex serves as the main processing centre for Tyne, which produces to Trent via a 56 kilometre, 20" pipeline. From Trent, the processed gas is exported 170 kilometres to Bacton via the 24" ARCO operated EAGLES pipeline.

The Trent and Tyne fields will produce at a combined initial peak rate of 195 Mmscfpd (130 Mmscfpd DCQ) with scope for additional gas sales starting in 1997. Tyne field gas has been sold to Eastern Group Plc, while a portion of the Trent field gas has been sold to an un-named purchaser. The facilities are to operate as a not-normally-manned installation with capability to remotely control platform operations from ARCOs Great Yarmouth control centre.

Trent and Tyne are expected to produce in excess of 415 bcf over a nominal 14 year field life. The fields will initially produce via the 8 planned production wells. Infill and extension drilling opportunities have already been identified in each field, which through time may further increase reserves and offtake rates. In addition, the development partnership believes there is significant nearby exploration potential and is currently finalising plans for possible 1997 exploration drilling in the two blocks.

Key contractors for the Trent and Tyne project included facilities fabrication by SLP, heavy lift by Seaway, design engineering by Granherne, and pipelay by Allseas. Time and cost savings were realised by the highly successful incentive based facility contract with key contract suppliers. Development drilling was conducted by Maersk, Ensco, and Reading and Bates. The twin field development project is expected to cost approximately 250 mm£.
ARCO is employing several technological advancements in the Trent and Tyne developments. The longest Tyne field development wells are planned to be drilled to a total measured depth in excess of 23,000 with planned 2,000 horizontal sections. On the Trent field, ARCO has just recently executed a hydraulic fracture treatment in the Carboniferous, increasing production performance by approximately five fold in the target unit.

ARCO's Operations Director, Keith Weiser, said of the news, "The Trent and Tyne developments are very important to ARCO and serve as the cornerstone for an important part of ARCO's North Sea reserve expansion. We are continuing an aggressive exploitation strategy of the Carboniferous resource base and the application of leveraging technology clearly plays a role in our strategy and our successes to date."

• Trent and Tyne Fields in UK North Sea Produce First Gas

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