TotalFinaElf begins UK North Sea's deepest production

HOUSTON, Apr. 2�TotalFinaElf SA has begun production from Elgin field in the Central Graben area of the UK North Sea.

First production of 13,500 b/d of condensate and 42 MMcfd of gas came 4 years after the Elgin-Franklin gas-condensate field development began.

TotalFinaElf said production would reach 140,000 b/d of condensate and 460 MMcfd of gas following start up of Franklin field in August. That would equal 5.5% of UK condensate output and 4.5% of its gas production.

Cost of the Elgin-Franklin development is �1.65 billion, making it one of the major UK North Sea projects of recent years.

Both fields have their own wellhead platform. Production is processed through a production-utilities-quarters platform installed last summer at Elgin.

Condensate would be landed through the Forties pipeline system. Gas would be delivered through the Shearwater Elgin Area Line pipeline to a terminal at Bacton.

TotalFinaElf said the project is the largest high-pressure, high-temperature development in the world (1,100 bar and 200� C.). The fields also are the deepest in the UK North Sea at 5,500 m.

Elgin is on Blocks 22/30b, 22/30c, and 29/5b and Franklin is on Block 29/5b. The water on both blocks is about 92 m deep.

The operator is the Elgin-Franklin Operating Group (EFOG) venture, owned 77.5% by TotalFinaElf and 22.5% by Gaz de France SA.

Interest holders are EFOG, 46.173%; Agip (UK) Ltd., 21.867%; BG Exploration & Production Ltd., 12.35%; Ruhrgas UK Exploration & Production Ltd., 5.2%; Esso Exploration & Production UK Ltd., 4.375%; Texaco Britain Ltd., 3.9%; Dyas UK Ltd., 2.1875%; ONEPM (UK) Ltd., 2.1875%; and ARCO British Ltd., 1.76%.