Operator Neptune Energy and its partners announced drilling has begun on four production wells on the Duva field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

The wells are being drilled by the Deepsea Yantai, a semi-submersible rig operated by Odfjell Drilling. All four wells were pre-drilled and cased off at a depth of 2,500 metres, prior to starting the final drilling campaign.

Duva is a fast-track project being developed as a subsea installation with three oil producers and one gas producer, tied back to the Neptune-operated Gjøa semi-submersible platform.

Neptune Energy’s Director of Projects & Engineering in Norway, Erik Oppedal, said: “This is the final phase of the Duva development project, and we are currently working to accelerate the start-up date. An efficient drilling campaign forms an integral part of achieving this. Duva will both increase production and extend the operational life of our operated Gjøa platform.”

The Deepsea Yantai is now set to drill the reservoir sections, install the lower completions and execute well clean-up activities. The drilling work is estimated to take around 110 days.

Duva is scheduled to come online in the third quarter of 2021 and will add approximately 25,000 barrels (gross) of oil equivalent per day (boepd) to the Gjøa facility.

The subsea works associated with Duva were successfully completed in 2020, with the four subsea trees installed in March 2021, successfully overcoming significant challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Duva oil and gas field was Neptune’s first discovery in the Norwegian North Sea, a strategically important area supporting the company’s growth. It is located 14 km northeast of the Gjøa field, at a water depth of 360 metres.

Licence partners on Duva, PL 636: Neptune Energy (Operator and 30%), Idemitsu Petroleum Norge (30%), PGNiG Upstream Norway (30%), Sval Energi (10%).

About Neptune Energy Norge AS

Neptune Energy Norge is a subsidiary of Neptune Energy. The company is the operator of the Gjøa field in the North Sea. It has two operated development projects: Fenja and Duva. In 2020, the company made the Dugong discovery, which is now being considered for development. The Company is a partner in several producing fields: Bauge (under development), Brage, Draugen, Fram, Gudrun, Hyme, Ivar Aasen, Njord and Snøhvit. Neptune Energy Norge is a participant in a total of 81 licences. For the full year 2020, Neptune produced 55 kboepd in Norway.

About Odfjell Drilling

Odfjell Drilling is a listed international drilling, well service and engineering company with 2500 employees and operations in more than 20 countries.