The company has also acquired the 10% interest in Laggan and Tormore previously held by Chevron North Sea and the 20% interest previously held by ENI UK. This brings Total’s interest in this project to 80% alongside partner DONG E&P (UK).
Yves-Louis Darricarrere, president of Total Exploration & Production, said: “Total has demonstrated its capacity to successfully develop highly technological projects and continues to do so with the Laggan and Tormore fields, located in one of the most complex environments of the UK Continental Shelf.
“Bringing them to production will require near GBP2.5bn investment. In taking the decision to develop this complex project, Total confirms its commitment in pursuing its investments in the North Sea and its long term objective towards helping to secure energy supplies for the UK.”
The company said that this subsea project and its associated infrastructure is key to unlocking further opportunities in the Greater West Shetland region, prompting an increase in exploration and development activity in the area for Total and most notably for the overall industry.
The Laggan and Tormore gas fields, which lie around 140km West of Shetland by 600mt of water depth in blocks 206/1a, 205/4b and 205/5a, have global estimated reserves of around 230 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe). At peak, gas production rate of 500 million standard cubic feet per day is expected from the two fields, plus associated condensates (for a total production of 93,000 boe per day).
The construction work on the offshore gas infrastructure, and on a new gas processing plant at Sullom Voe on Shetland, will start almost immediately, with first gas production planned for 2014.
After processing at the new Sullom Voe plant, Laggan and Tormore gas will transit through a new 230km export pipeline from Shetland into the existing Frigg UK line and onward to the Total operated Saint Fergus gas terminal, located north of Aberdeen.
The company’s portfolio includes operatorship of the Alwyn area fields, the high pressure/high temperature Elgin and Franklin fields and the St Fergus Gas Terminal, together with a number of non-operated fields.
