Adura’s deepwater Rosebank oilfield development West of Shetland is advancing towards the final stages of execution, with start-up targeted for the first half of 2027, according to partner Ithaca Energy.
This, however, remains subject to the project gaining final approval from the UK government following a recent, further environmental review.
In its latest results statement, Ithaca reported that the FPSO Rosebank, which formerly operated for Shell on the Knarr field offshore Norway, arrived and moored at the field location in June. Hook-up and commissioning continues.
Following an equipment handling incident in April which resulted in a BOP falling to the seafloor, the rig has resumed well activities, sufficient to support a production ramp-up in the second half of 2027.
Ithaca added that the partners are still anticipating receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals by the end of this year, which would allow well testing and optimizing of the drilling program to proceed in order to achieve production ramp-up.
Another planned FPSO project West of Shetland, for the Ithaca-operated Cambo field, has entered the value engineering and pre-execution phase. Ithaca aims for sanction in 2027.
Elsewhere in the region, the company’s Tornado development is advancing towards FID, supported by the recent 18-month license extension to March 2028. Other West of Shetland tie-in opportunities under consideration include Suilven and Spitfire.
Ithaca is also reviewing potential Transitional Energy Certificate targets for Infrastructure-led and production-led exploration opportunities around existing offshore infrastructure.
In the central UK North Sea, Dolphin’s Paul B. Loyd Junior semisub is working on a three-month re-drill program of well B15 at Ithaca’s Captain oilfield. It should deliver production from Q4.
The Captain 13th well campaign remains on track, with recertification of the platform rig under way, ahead of a planned resumption of well operations in September. A two well-program at Elgin Franklin in the same sector should begin in Q4, with incremental production expected in 2028.
As for the Cygnus infill drilling campaign in the southern UK gas basin of the North Sea, first production from well C14 is expected in November, with the rig set to transfer next year to move to the Bravo area, subject to FID on drilling further wells.
