Offshore staff

CALGARY, Canada – The semisub Sedco 704 has successfully completed four of the five production wells for the Athena field development in the UK North Sea.

According to operator Ithaca Energy, the fifth and final well should finish shortly, after which the rig will be demobilized.

Installation of the FPSO mooring system, riser base and subsea manifold have been completed using the Boa Deep C construction support vessel.

All topsides equipment has been installed on the BW Athena FPSO. Mechanical completion will take place this month and commissioning will then get under way.

The Boa Deep C is installing the subsea flowlines and umbilicals, and this program will be completed in October. The subsea facilities will then be hooked up using the DSV Bibby Topaz.

The FPSO will leave Dubai around mid-November to arrive on the field in December, after a 20-day transit via the Suez Canal.

Start-up procedures will take around 14 days to complete, and include securing the vessel over the STP buoy, and final hookup and commissioning of all surface and subsea systems.

At present, Ithaca adds, the project remains within budget and first oil is expected during the current quarter.

10/11/2011