Perenco increases gas production at first UK offshore gas field

Perenco UK has successfully completed a series of velocity string installations on five wells at the West Sole Charlie platform in the Southern North Sea, enhancing gas production.

The campaign was executed by the Petrodec HAEVA facility and delivered sustained production gains of approximately +5 MMscf/d, in line with expectations.

The planned works were completed ahead of schedule and within budget, confirming the technical and commercial success of the project.

Perenco says improved production rates are now being seen in each of the wells, which are operating at 100% uptime instead of requiring cyclical maintenance.

Two of the restarted wells were previously shut in and not producing. The net effect is a new production rate for the West Sole field that remains above the 30 MMscf/d level.

The field is located 70km east of Perenco’s Dimlington terminal on the Yorkshire coast.

“The UK’s demand for gas is expected to remain high, so improving the extraction of domestic gas fields is vital for both energy security and for improving overall emissions intensity. Local sources of natural gas have a significantly lower carbon footprint than imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), which today makes up a large part of the supply balance.

“West Sole was the first offshore natural gas field to be developed in the UK. Since 1967 it has produced over 2.2 trillion cubic feet of gas cumulatively. It remains a key production centre in the SNS offshore gas network, with potential for future development and interconnection of nearby gas discoveries.

“Innovation and application of new technology will ensure a sustainable and productive future for the West Sole field for decades to come,” said Jo White, Managing Director of Perenco UK SNS.