Centrica Energy’s Rhyl gas field came on stream yesterday after a few month’s slippage, due in part to air temperatures at the Morecambe Bay field reaching -19C last month.
The field, in the east Irish Sea, about 24 miles from Barrow-in-Furness, is expected to produce 4,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) at peak. The first new field to be brought on stream in the region for 10 years, Centrica said it hoped Rhyl would be the hub for extending the firm’s Morecambe bay operations, securing 400 jobs in the region.
Appraisal drilling last year at the Rhyl North well revised the volume of reserves upwards from around 40billion cubic feet to about 80billion cubic feet.
Mike Astell, Centrica Energy’s regional director for the east Irish Sea, said: “Morecambe Bay continues to offer a wealth of resource opportunities – both in terms of potential reserves and through nurturing local talent.”
He added that the company had carried out the first seismic activity in a decade as part of its continued exploration activities with results expected later this year.
A spokesman for the firm said: “We are able to tie back four fields in total to the Rhyl subsea hub.”
The Morecambe Bay gas fields were first discovered in the 1970s and production began in 1985.
Meanwhile, first oil is to be expected within the next two weeks from the delayed central North Sea Huntington field, according to licence partner Noreco.
The Norwegian firm said the field, located 115 miles east of Peterhead and operated by German firm E.ON E&P, was now awaiting final commissioning.
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