Statoil
improves recovery from Lufeng
Posted: 27 April 2004
New technology has made it profitable to extend production from
Statoil's Lufeng field in the South China Sea until 2008, rather
than shutting it down this February as originally planned.
It was resolved earlier this year to keep the field on stream until
August, when the Munin production ship is due to move to another
assignment.
"While the ship is away, we intend to carry out sidetrack
drilling," says Roald Riise, vice president for development
and production in International Exploration & Production.
"This technology, which wasn't available when we first developed
the field, allows us to tap new pockets of oil which would otherwise
be beyond our reach."
Planning for the three sidetracks will start immediately, with
drilling set to begin in the autumn.
The drilling team comprises personnel both from Statoil and from
its licence partner, the China National Offshore Oil Corporation
(CNOOC).
Lufeng is currently producing about 6,000 barrels of oil per day.
After the sidetracks have been drilled, this output is expected
to exceed 10,000 daily barrels.
More than 32 million barrels have so far been recovered from the
field, well above forecasts when production began in December 1997
that total output would be about 25 million barrels.
Statoil has a 75 per cent interest in Lufeng, and CNOOC holds the
remaining 25 per cent.
Munin has a production staffing of roughly 50 people, with approximately
20 people employed at the operations office on land.
"This means we'll be staying in China," says Mr Riise.
"That could be advantageous if other interesting opportunities
arise."
For more information see www.statoil.com
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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