The subsea infrastructure installation campaign on Ithaca Energy's Greater Stella Area (GSA) development is nearly complete, following the conclusion of the projects five-well development drilling campaign in April.
The project, in the central North Sea, which is due for start-up in 2Q 2016, has been hit by delays due to issues relating to modifications to the FPF-1 floating production facility by Petrofac in the Remontowa yard in Poland (pictured late June this year). Sailaway had been scheduled for 2Q 2015, but, at the start of this year, was set back to late 1Q 2016.
Today, Ithaca said sailaway is still on track late 1Q 2016, with operations on the FPF-1, which was previously used by Hess on the North Sea Ivanhoe and Rob Roy fields, focused on closing out the main construction phase activities and transitioning to the start-up of commissioning operations. Pipework pressure testing on the topsides processing and utility systems is well advanced and electrical cable termination activities are nearing conclusion, said Ithaca.
Offshore installation of the oil export pipeline form the FPF-1 riser base to the single anchor loading structure has recently been completed, with contractor Technip due to return in October to perform the final pipeline tie-ins that will conclude the 2015 subsea work program.
When on-stream, GSA will push Ithaca's operating costs down to $25/boe, from $35/boe - which itself is a 29% reduction in costs compared to this time last year.
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