The Athena field in the Outer Moray Firth is on target to come on stream at the end of the third quarter of next year.
The find, which has reserves estimated at more than 24million barrels of oil, will start with daily production of about 22,000 barrels, via a floating production unit.
Investment in the project will be more than £150million.
Operator Ithaca Energy said yesterday that the contract for a floating production vessel and the letter of award for a drilling rig had been awarded.
A deal has been signed with BW Offshore to provide the BW Carmen vessel, to be renamed the BW Athena.
The three-year contract – extendable for up to eight years – includes modifying the vessel and deploying her to a fixed mooring at the field. She will be mobilised at the end of the third quarter of next year. Offloading of oil will be by tandem-moored shuttle tankers.
A letter of award has been signed with Applied Drilling Technology International for drilling management services and for the supply of the Sedco 704 semisubmersible rig. It will be available from the end of this year and the drilling and completion programme is expected to last about 180 days.
Three of the suspended appraisal wells in the field will be completed for production, in addition to one new production well and one new water injector. Ithaca said contracts for the subsea equipment would be placed over the coming weeks.
No value has been disclosed by Ithaca for the individual Athena contracts.
Chief development officer John Woods said: “We are delighted to have awarded these two critical contracts for drilling and production at the Athena field.
“We are committed to a robust development of the field and confident that our chosen suppliers will deliver the quality of service that will ensure timely and effective execution of the Athena project plan.”
Ithaca has a 22.5% interest in the field. Co-venturers are Dyas UK (47.5%), EWE Aktiengesellschaft (20%) and Zeus Petroleum (10%).
Nautical Petroleum has announced the success of the Kraken appraisal well in the UK central North Sea, in which it has a 35% stake. Chief executive Steve Jenkins said yesterday: “This is an excellent result which has significantly exceeded our predrill expectations.”
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