Global data
This month Infield Systems looks at the trend of subsea wells per greenfield development in shallow water (<500 m) and deepwater (≥500 m) across key regions.
The number of wells for each field represents the entirety of the field’s life. West Africa is continuing through its deepwater expansion, and due to massive floating production and subsea developments such as Girassol and Kizomba, had a mean average of over 20 wells per field 2000-2004. This is forecast to drop in the following period to 13, as we see a switch to “second wave” cluster developments. We expect the shallow waters in West Africa to continue their re-emergence with an increase in greenfield developments.
With the exception of a new breed of deepwater subsea fields such as Ormen Lange and the forecast expansion in the northern Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea, the NW European continental shelf continues a trend in smaller greenfield subsea fields and single well developments, leading to a mean fall in average wells per field for 2005-2009.
The North America region is expected to continue with a gradual increase in subsea wells per field in both shallow and deepwater.
The chart illustrates the changing nature of greenfield subsea fields in a developing region (West Africa) and a mature region (NWECS), reinforced further by the fact that through the period 2005-09 we expect West Africa to overtake Europe and become the largest subsea market.
Will Rowley
Director of Analytical Services, Infield Systems