EnQuest advances Kraken EOR, Magnus drilling and North Sea decommissioning plans

A recent results update from EnQuest highlights Kraken upside, Magnus drilling plans and decommissioning milestones.

EnQuest aims to mature the Kraken Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project in the northern UK North Sea, the company said in a results review.

The company sees potential to increase the field's recoverable resource by more than 40MMbbl.

Following initial polymer testing, the current focus is on ensuring the compatibility of reservoir chemicals with the Armada Kraken FPSO's topside process equipment.

EnQuest's team is also working on a fuel gas import project that would involve a subsea tie-back of a gas well on the undeveloped Bressay field to the Armada Kraken FPSO.

This would provide an alternative to the diesel currently used to power operations, potentially delivering a marked reduction in the FPSO's emissions and operating costs.

The Bressay gas well could form part of an expanded well program, comprising a resumption of drilling at Kraken and P&A of subsea wells.

In addition, EnQuest has awarded EnerMech a five-year contract to provide the FPSO operator Bumi Armada with crane management and lifting services on the Armada Kraken.

Elsewhere in the UK northern North Sea, EnQuest has finally completed all P&A activities at the Heather and Thistle fields.

Last year, Allseas' Pioneering Spirit vessel removed the Heather topsides from the field, with the jacket set for removal in 2027.

Preparations continued for Thistle's removal under the next phase of heavy-lift operations. Teams from EnQuest and Saipem have been collaborating since last April on engineering and planning for the pre-disembarkation preparation phase.

Subsea campaigns included the use of a specially engineered conductor drill and pinning tool for the Final disembarkation from the platform should take place before mid-year.

This summer, the Alba field in the central UK North Sea, originally developed by Chevron in the 1990s, should reach cessation of asset production this summer. EnQuest has also progressed planning and engineering work on the Kittiwake platform wells and subsea wells in the same sector and at the Magnus field in the East Shetland Basin.

In May a new six-well infill drilling campaign should begin at Magnus, continuing into 2027. The line-up includes well targets in the Lower Kimmeridge Clay Formation (LKCF) reservoir, thought to hold around 325 MMbbl of oil in place: EnQuest aims to access 10MMbbl of production from the next phase LKCF program.

Thereafter, its sees potential to deliver a further 28MMboe via low-cost drilling and well intervention opportunities.

Following storm damage earlier this year at the third-party operated Ninian Central Platform ('NCP') which led to a five-week outage for all tied-in fields, including Magnus, EnQuest is seeking to reduce future risks by implementing a bypass alternative to the NCP during 2027.