TOTAL - North Sea License 102C

Project Status

As of August 2010, Total E&P Norge has received consent to conduct exploration drilling in the central part of the North Sea using the mobile facility Ocean Vanguard. The consent relates to the drilling of well 25/5-7 on David Prospect, situated about 22 km east of Heimdal, which is part of production license PL102C.

The expected duration of the activity is 45 – 90 days, depending on the scope of testing and the possible drilling of a sidetrack.

As of mid October 2010, Total E&P Norge AS, operator of production license 102 C, is in the process of completing the drilling of wildcat well 25/5-7. 

The primary exploration target for the well was to prove petroleum in the Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Brent group). The secondary target was to prove petroleum in the lower Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Statfjord formation).

The licensees in the production license will consider producing the discovery via the Heimdal field.

The well will now be plugged and abandoned.

Well 25/5-7 was drilled by Ocean Vanguard. The drilling facility will now travel to production license 303, north of the Sleipner area in the North Sea, to drill delineation well 15/6-11 S, where Statoil ASA is the operator.

Atla (former David) is located in the southern parts of the North Sea, in license 102C. The field is situated 20 kms northeast of the Heimdal field. The discovery will be produced with a subsea installation tied back to the existing pipeline between Heimdal and Skirne. Total also operates the Skirne field. Illustration below (from operator Total) shows how Atla will be produced.

As of early November 2011, Det norske has been approved by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. This will be the first field development Det norske participates in. It represents Det norske´s debut, and the first out of many to come over the next few years. The plan for development and operation of Jette, which is operated by Det norske, is currently being evaluated by the Ministry.

The first gas from Atla will be produced in September 2012. Det norske´s ten percent interest will give the company a daily production of 1000 barrels per day. The plan for development and operation of Atla was submitted to the authorities early in July 2011. The discovery was made in October 2010.

Gas condensate was detected in the Brent Formation. Substantial testing and sampling were carried out. According to schedule, the exploration well from 2010 will be reused as production well. This is of great significance for the projects profitability. Total investments are estimated at 1.3 billion NOK.

France's Total expects to start production at the Atla gas and condensate field in the North Sea this week.

Oct 2012 Total to start production at Atla Field (Topco)