Sillimanite South goes onstream in the North Sea

Offshore staff

RIJSWIJK, the Netherlands – Wintershall Noordzee has started production from the Sillimanite South field in the Dutch North Sea.

The D12-B3 discovery well, drilled last year, was converted directly to a producer.

“Delivery of a well directly from the exploration phase straight into the production phase is a unique performance,” said Jone Hess, the company’s managing director.

“Doing so whilst having to operate under stringent measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic makes it even more so.” He acknowledged the support given by Maersk Drilling and the supply chain.

The well was connected to the D12-B production satellite platform, close to the UK median line. From there, produced gas is transported via the Neptune Energy-operated D15-A production platform through the NGT (Noordgastransport) gas transportation system to the mainland.

Sillimanite is a unitized gas field in block 44/19a on the UK side and blocks D12a and D12b on the Dutch side. Development was made possible following a treaty between the UK and Dutch governments that took effect in July 2018.

Sillimanite South is entirely in block D12a. Both fields produce gas from Carboniferous sandstone reservoirs at a depth of around 3,700 m (12,139 ft) below sea level.

Other partners in the development are EBN and Neptune Energy.

01/14/2021