Total: Ekofisk South, Eldfisk II Get Govt Nod for Development

ConocoPhillips has received approval from Norwegian authorities to launch its Ekofisk South and Eldfisk II projects in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

The plan for development and operation for Ekofisk South includes a new platform (Ekofisk 2/4Z) and a new subsea facility (Ekofisk 2/4VB) at the Ekofisk complex. The platform will have a design life of 40 years and a capacity to produce 70,000 boep/d. The new facilities will enable the drilling of 35 production and 8 water injection wells to develop the Ekofisk field and increase oil recovery. Production will start early 2014.

The Eldfisk II project will include a new platform (Eldfisk 2/7S) at the Eldfisk complex and the upgrade of existing facilities in the Eldfisk field. The new platform will also have a design life of 40 years and a capacity of 70,000 boep/d. Eldfisk 2/7 will provide accommodation, new process facilities, and will enable the drilling of 30 production and 9 water injection wells to develop the Eldfisk field and increase oil recovery. In 2015, production should come online.

The operator states that these two projects will enable the development of around 450 million barrels of oil equivalent. The discovery of the Ekofisk and Eldfisk fields happened in 1969 and 1970, respectively. Production commenced from the Ekofisk field in 1971, and Eldfisk came on stream in 1979.

ConocoPhillips operates the license, PL 018, with a 35.11% interest; Total holds 39.90%; Eni holds 12.39%; Statoil holds 7.60%; and Petoro holds 5%.