Britannia Gas Field Inaugurated in UK North Sea

The North Sea Britannia Field has been inaugurated by the UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Peter Mandelson. The gas/condensate field is operated jointly by Conoco and Chevron as the joint venture company, Britannia Operator Ltd. One of the largest known remaining gas fields in the UK, Britannia's estimated reserves exceeding three trillion cu ft-to be produced during a 30-year lifespan—enough to provide approximately eight percent of the country's gas requirement.

Located 130 miles northeast of Aberdeen, the field began production in August under budget, achieving a savings of some 20% and reducing the forecast total cost of the development to approximately US$2.05 billion. Its gas is being exported through a new 115-mile subsea pipeline that stretches to St. Fergus, Scotland, where it is passed to the Scottish area Gas Evacuation for processing. Condensate from the field travels but 27 miles via a new subsea tie-in pipeline to the Unity platform, where it is merged with the Forties Pipeline System.

Britannia is rapidly approaching its peak production rate of 740 million cu ft of commercial gas and more than 50,000 bbls of condensate per day.