Aviat: A Basal Pleistocene Shallow Gas Hazard Developed as Fuel Gas Supply for Forties

With Phil Rose, Apache North Sea & Brice Rae, University of Aberdeen

The search for a gas source near to Apache’s Forties Field in the North Sea was motivated by the prediction of an ever increasing fuel gas shortfall as the field oil rate declines over the next fifteen years.  Currently field power is generated mostly from associated gas, topped up by diesel, but with current projected power demands, the fuel gas shortfall is expected to grow to a point where diesel costs would become prohibitive and even impractical to ship. Without an additional source of fuel gas the tail end reserves at Forties would be in jeopardy.

The Central North Sea is well known for a large number of shallow gas hazards in the Pleistocene section which have historically caused a number of shallow blowouts during the exploration and development of the North Sea.  BP experienced two shallow gas incidents during the exploration and development of the Forties Field.  These gas accumulations typically show up as small bright anomalies on seismic data.  Since Apache’s early days as operator on Forties it had been realized that a shallow gas accumulation of sufficient size could be very attractive to develop a fuel gas source.  In 2009 a large gas anomaly was identified to the east of Forties and the Aviat Field was discovered in 2010 with exploration well 22/7-5.

This presentation documents the integrated, multidisciplinary, data acquisition strategy and interpretation during the exploration and appraisal phase of a novel play.

The Cophthorne Hotel, Aberdeen
Tonight, 6pm