Bridge Energy has been given the go-ahead for its Victoria Phase 2 subsea gas development in the southern North Sea.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change has approved a field development plan for a subsea tie back to the Victoria Phase 1 project, which itself is tied back to the ConocoPhillips operated Viking BD facilities.
The original Victoria field was developed in 2008.
The field is currently producing about 1,250 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd).
The well is planned to be a horizontal well, which will be hydraulically fracture stimulated and should add about 1,700 boepd to production, Bridge said.
The firm said it was planning for first gas from the new field sometime in 2012 or early 2013, subject to rig availability.
Bridge recently bought a 50% interest in the Duart field for $38.3million.
Bridge UK managing director Jim Brunton said: “This news combined with the recent announcements of the Duart acquisition and the extension to our debt facility is a major step forward in meeting our stated plans for delivery of production growth.
“Subject to rig availability, we will be producing approximately 3,700 boepd by the end of 2012 from the Victoria, Duart and Victoria Phase 2 fields which will further facilitate our exciting exploration programme.”