Spirit Energy Books Maersk Jack-Up Rig for North Sea Well

Bartolomej Tomic
Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Oil and gas company Spirit Energy has hired Maersk Drilling's jack-up rig Maersk Resolve to drill one development well in the UK North Sea. The well will be drilled at the Grove North East area. 

Spirit Energy, a subsidiary of Centrica, said that, if the infill well is a success, the life of the Grove field could be extended by five years to 2028.

Neil McCulloch, Executive Vice President, Technical & Operated Assets, at Spirit Energy, said: “The infill well is planned to target the un-appraised north-eastern limb of the Grove field and has the potential of delivering 4.2 mmboe net additional reserves. Further, it could add five new years to the life of the Grove field and improve the prospect of additional opportunities in the area.”

According to Maersk, the firm contract value for the rig is approximately USD 11.3 million, including additional services, mobilization, and demobilization.  Bassoe Offshore has estimated the day rate is around $80,000. The contract includes an option to add plugging and abandonment of one well.

Morten Kelstrup, COO of Maersk Drilling said: "We’re excited to be able to build on our relationship with Spirit Energy with our first UK well for the customer, for whom we previously completed a highly successful subsea development campaign in Norway. 

"We will surely be able to continue our close collaboration and mutual focus on operational excellence, and in addition the campaign at Grove will benefit from Maersk Resolve’s experience with safely and efficiently drilling challenging Zechstein formations as part of the rig’s latest assignment in Dutch waters."

Maersk Resolve is a 350ft, Gusto-engineered MSC CJ50  jack-up rig delivered in 2009. It completed a campaign offshore the Netherlands in October 2020 and is currently warm-stacked in Esbjerg, Denmark.  

The rig contract is scheduled to start in March 2021, with an estimated duration of 131 days.  Spirit Energy's goal is to start production in Q3 2021.

Gas from the Grove field is processed at the Markham J6-A facilities operated by Spirit Energy and transported via the West Gas Transport pipeline system to the Den Helder terminal in the Netherlands for further processing.

The Grove field is situated on the UK Continental Shelf close to the  UK–Netherlands median line. Spirit Energy is the operator of the Grove field and Grove North East with a 92.5% share. RockRose is a license partner with the remaining 7.5% share.

Offshore Engineer reached out to Spirit Energy, seeking info on the current production at the Grove field.

A Spirit Energy spokesperson said:" Current processing and gas export from the Greater Markham Area around 100 mmscfd. GMA processes gas from Grove, Chiswick, and other third-party fields.

"In particular Grove field production is currently c. 5 mmscfd and with the Grove NE well, in a success case, the production from Grove will increase to c. 25 mmscfd." 

 

Categories: Drilling Industry News Europe Production Rigs

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