RWE Dea’s subsidiary in the United Kingdom, RWE Dea UK, announced today that the first development well for the Clipper South gas field was spudded on 8th February. First gas from Clipper South is expected in summer 2012.

The well (48/19a-C1) is targeting a tight Permian age Rotliegend reservoir at a depth of some 2,500m and is the first of up to five extended horizontal wells with multiple hydraulically induced fractures in each well.

“We are delighted to have achieved this key milestone in the development of Clipper South”, says Ralf to Baben, Chief Operating Officer of RWE Dea AG. “The platform was successfully installed last autumn and we now look forward to a successful drilling campaign using cutting-edge well technology. We believe our familiarity with this technology gives us the confidence to successfully apply it to the Southern North Sea”, explains to Baben.

RWE Dea’s commitment to the future of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) is demonstrated by its investment in both the Clipper South and Breagh field developments, where it currently acts as operator.

The Clipper South gas field lies in the UKCS blocks 48/19 and 48/20, 100km (60 miles) east of the Lincolnshire coast and was discovered in 1982. The field contains approximately 500 billion cubic feet of gas in place and will be developed using the latest well technology. First gas from the Clipper South field is expected in the summer of 2012.

Production will be via a new wellhead platform and pipeline connected to the LOGGS offshore complex then on to the Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal in Lincolnshire. The 12” and 3” pipeline connections to the complex will be installed by Technip UK Ltd in April.

RWE Dea UK is the operator and 50% partner in the Clipper South development project along with Fairfield Acer Limited (25%) and Bayerngas UK Ltd (25%).