Statoil's Siri platform in the Danish North Sea has reached plateau production just over four months after startup.
The platform has endured some technical problems, but has still managed to increase its output to a current level of 50,000 barrels of oil per day. This represents about 20 per cent of the overall oil production off Denmark.
"The operation runs very well," says Helge Gustav HÃ¥land, acting production manager for Siri.
He reports that oil is currently being produced from three wells. An injector has also been completed.
The Noble George Sauvageau jack-up rig finished drilling of the fifth well on 6 July, five days ahead of schedule. The rig has been on charter since May last year. Drilling and completion of the last three wells were effected below budget.
Siri came on stream on 1 March, some three years after the field was discovered. The field development plans were approved by the Danish Energy Agency two years ago. Ranking as number 14 of producing oil and gas fields in the Danish sector, Siri is the first facility in operation outside the Central Graben area.
The development incorporates a jackup steel platform with processing systems and living quarters positioned on a steel storage tank with 314,500 barrels capacity. The crude is carried by shuttle tanker every six days to Statoil's Mongstad refinery near Bergen and other areas around the North Sea basin. These shipments function very smoothly, according to Mr HÃ¥land.
The Siri licence has signed an agreement with Statoil's Kalundborg refinery for operation and maintenance of the platform, as well as onshore engineering support. The platform normally has a crew of about 20 people.