Venture successfully tests Grouse appraisal well

Venture Production plc, the Aberdeen based UK independent oil and gas production company, has successfully drilled and tested well 21/19-12z to appraise the Grouse oil field. Grouse is located in Block 21/19 within the Greater Kittiwake Area (’GKA’), a central North Sea production hub operated and 50% owned by Venture.

Grouse was first discovered in 1981 by the 21/19-1a well. Subsequent work by Venture’s subsurface team justified drilling a horizontal well to target better quality, thicker reservoir sands to the southwest of the discovery well. This well was spudded by the Noble TVL semi-submersible rig in late August and has now been successfully drilled and completed. Stabilised test rates in excess of pre-drill expectations were achieved. Rates of over 10,600 boepd gross were achieved through a 32/64′ choke with a tubing head pressure of around 2,700 psi but this was limited by the throughput capacity of the test equipment.

The well will be suspended for use as a future producer and Grouse will be developed as a subsea tieback to the Kittiwake platform utilising the Goosander production riser that was installed in 2006. Field development planning of a fast track development will commence immediately with first oil targeted for first quarter 2009.