BP announced that the UK government has given approval to proceed with the Vorlich development in the central North Sea, targeting 30 million barrels of oil equivalent and expected to produce 20,000 barrels gross a day at peak.

Image source: BP

The £200 million project is part of a programme of North Sea subsea tie-backs that will deliver new production from satellite fields located near established production hubs.

Vorlich is a two-well development, approximately 241 kilometres east of Aberdeen and will be tied back to the Ithaca Energy-operated FPF-1 floating production facility, which lies at the centre of Greater Stella Area production hub. Ithaca has a 34% interest in Vorlich.

An innovative partnership with Ithaca Energy is proving pivotal to delivering Vorlich cost-effectively and at pace.

“Ithaca is delivering both the subsea and topside facilities for the Vorlich project as an extension of a larger development programme they already have in train for the Greater Stella Area,” explains BP project manager Stuart Johnstone.

 “As a result, we are benefitting from mature, existing Ithaca contracts, an established high-performing project team and lessons learned from other parts of their Stella programme.

“BP is bringing efficiencies from our global wells organisation and our depth of reservoir development expertise.  We have also merged traditionally separate stage-gates in our project development cycle to speed up delivery.

“Each party is playing to their strengths and coming together for the benefit of all the project partners.”

Construction on Vorlich is expected to start offshore in 2019 and come on stream in 2020.

Scott Robertson, Central North Sea (CNS) area manager at the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), said: 
“The OGA has been actively involved throughout the Vorlich project and is pleased to approve this development. The field will make an important contribution to our Maximising Economic Recovery UK (MER UK) priority as a valuable tieback using existing infrastructure and by maximising value from the Greater Stella Area hub.”