Installation work on the Orca North Sea gas platform has been completed as operators look to start production before the end of the year.
The GDF Suez-operated gas field, which straddles UK and Dutch waters, saw installation of the normally unmanned platform completed by the Oleg Strashnov vessel.
The D18a-A platform located in the Dutch sector (500 metres from the UK sector) in approximately 40 meters water depth is designed to produce natural gas from up to six wells with a maximum production capacity of 2.4 million normal cubic metres per day.
Drilling has already started on the first development well, which is expected to reach a depth of 3,600 metres.
“We are very pleased to have achieved this major milestone in the development of the Orca field,” said René Pawel, managing director of RWE Dea UK, who are part of the project operators GDF Suez E&P Nederland B.V.
“The project is on track to provide an important contribution to reach our growth targets in the United Kingdom.”