Serica Energy Submits Columbus Field Development Program

Serica Energy, an oil and gas exploration and production company, has submitted the development program for the Columbus field in the UK Central North Sea to the UK government.

In December 2006 Serica announced the discovery of the Columbus gas-condensate field with well 23/16f-11. The well was tested at a rate of 17.5 million cubic feet of gas per day and 1,060 barrels of condensate per day. In 2007, Serica drilled two successful appraisal wells in Block 23/16f and demonstrated that development of the Columbus field would be a commercial project.

Engineering studies have been carried out in co-operation with neighboring infrastructure operators and the Columbus Field Development Program (FDP) envisages production via a subsea tie-back to the BP operated Eastern Trough Area Project (ETAP), a central processing facility (CPF).

From the ETAP CPF, the Columbus gas would be exported via the ETAP gas export pipeline into the central area transmission system (CATS) to the processing terminal in Teesside on the northeast coast of England.

The Columbus condensate would be exported via the existing ETAP oil export pipeline which ties into the Forties pipeline system and to the Kinneil oil export terminal near Grangemouth, on the Firth of Forth about 20 miles west of Edinburgh, Scotland.

The gas and condensate transportation arrangements are subject to commercial negotiations and development is subject to the approval of the Columbus FDP by the UK government. Serica is the operator of the Columbus field and holds an interest of 50% in Block 23/16f.