North Sea exploration and production firm Valiant Petroleum highlighted its frustration yesterday over operational problems at the Don Southwest (SW) oil field north-east of Shetland.
Valiant which has a 40% stake in Don SW, said downhole completion at a sidetrack of its Area 22 production well had hit a four-week delay amid challenging efforts to free a long section of stuck tube.
Remedial work was hampered by poor weather plus the depth and inclination of the well, the firm said, adding that drilling operations at the site were now ready to re-start.
It is anticipated that the well will be completed by the end of next month.
Valiant chief executive Peter Buchanan said: “While the mechanical problems encountered during the sidetrack operations of the Area 22 well on Don Southwest are frustrating, Valiant is pleased to be nearing the completion of the first phase of the Don development project and establishing production rates.”
The operations and exploration update from Valiant also said the company had started 2010 with a substantial work programme ahead of it.
This includes the second phase of development at the Don fields, comprising Don SW and West Don, which is due to complete before the end of the year.
In addition, Valiant’s bosses said they were excited about the imminent start of the firm’s 2010 exploration programme.
Drilling is scheduled for the Tybalt, Viola and Ariel prospects.
Completion of the Area 22 sidetrack at Don SW will coincide with shutdowns for both that field and West Don to allow tie-ins to a pipeline export route via the nearby Thistle platform.
Valiant said it would provide detailed production guidance after a first phase of Don SW’s development was fully commissioned towards the end of March.
Production from Don SW has to date only been from a single well, in Area 5, which has produced “in line with expectations”.
Valiant said output from West Don, in which it has a 17.275% stake, continued in line with revised profiles.
The company anticipates securing a rig slot for a third production well into the southern area of West Don, which could be brought on stream in late 2010.