Development of the UK Northern North Sea Causeway discovery could come down to a straight choice between two host platforms depending on which one offers the best commercial terms for the development.
Causeway could be tapped either by a single well tieback to the ex-Shell Dunlin Alpha platform now operated by Fairfield Energy, or the Thistle Alpha installation, operated by Petrofac Facilities Management on behalf of owner Lundin Britain Ltd.
Commercial negotiations over the selection of the host platform are ongoing, it is understood.
Causeway, in UK block 211/22a is southwest of Dunlin, and lies to the east of the North Cormorant field area in the Northern North Sea. Lundin’s Thistle platform is in the southeast of block 211/18a, northeast of Causeway.
Lundin commenced a long-term redevelopment of the Thistle area last year to enhance production with new production wells being drilled this year and well workovers and Lundin has signalled further field investment to provide and extended life for the Thistle platform.
Meanwhile subsea engineering work for Causeway is well underway with contractor CSL working on definition and screening of unspecified “special” subsea equipment to provide cutting edge hardware which will be beneficial throughout the life of the field.
CSL has previously been appointed by Antrim to provide subsea project management services on Causeway, for which a field development plan is due to be ready for submission for approval by UK authorities by the end of the second quarter this year.
Antrim carried out a four-well appraisal programme on Causeway in 2007 and further field evaluation work is ongoing.