A CRUCIAL task for Curran and his team is ensuring a pipeline of North Sea drillable prospects, exploration successes, acquisitions and projects as they are currently responsible for about 25% of Lundin’s current 180million boe global reserves base.
In terms of production, the corporation is heavily dependent on UK production. Last year, the group averaged 34,500bpd output, of which Curran reckons half was attributable to the portfolio he manages.
But, going forward, newly developed projects such as Marathon-operated Alvheim in the Norwegian sector are considered absolutely vital.
“One of the features of working for a company like Lundin is that, no matter where you are, you are absolutely close to the bottom line,” said Curran.
“Whether you’re an explorationist working on a new prospect or you’re the control-room operator on Heather, there is an information superhighway to the stock market from your actions.
“We have half the corporation’s production going across Heather so, if the platform is shut down for a day or two or three, everyone gets to know about it. What I think this does is inspire a high level of business acumen across the business and from top to bottom.
“That’s what excites me about a company like Lundin … proximity to the bottom line … an ability to have an impact right through to the stock market.
“Looking back over my career, when we built up our operating business in Hutton, Murchison and Lyell, and eventually Ninian and beyond, that was one of the most creative phases of my career. It was formative, too.
“But the weak Oryx balance sheet – it was weak to the point of failing – inspired creativity within the business and we attracted all sorts of fabulous talent into the business at that stage. The business grew despite the balance sheet.
“What we’re creating here is something with a similar level of excitement, but with a strong balance sheet, and that makes us more powerful.”