Paladin Expro has gained approval from the UK government to develop the Wood oil accumulation through its MonArb (Montrose, Arbroath, and Akwright) field complex in the North Sea. Amoco discovered Wood in 1996 with the well intersecting 146 ft of oil-bearing Jurassic Fulmar sandstone.

Under the £80 m development scheme, the field will be produced through one horizontal development well tied back 9.5-km to the production platform on Montrose. A compression module will also be installed to compress and export Wood's associated gas through the CATS pipeline system. MonArb's gas, currently flared, will also undergo the same treatment in future. Wood's oil will head to eastern Scotland via the Forties Pipeline System. Production should start late next year, peaking at over 5,000 b/d and 21 MMcf/d.

5/09/05