Equipment overhaul to affect Buzzard production

May 20, 2011
Nexen is upgrading the cooling system at one of its Buzzard field platforms in the UK central North Sea.

Offshore staff

CALGARY, Canada -- Nexen is upgrading the cooling system at one of its Buzzard field platforms in the UK central North Sea.

Replacement of the cooling medium should be completed by end-May. Until then, the field’s production will be limited to around 80,000 boe/d.

Nexen expects to increase output steadily through June and July, reaching full capacity of over 200,000 boe/d towards end-July as the upgraded coolers are installed and commissioning of a fourth platform is completed.

To offset the production shortfall from brief periods of downtime during the work, the company will re-align a two-week turnaround previously scheduled for September. Some of this work will be brought forward. A five-day outage is also due in August to support third-party work on the Forties Pipeline.

05/20/2011