IOG full steam ahead with Thames Pipeline work

UK-based Independent Oil and Gas (IOG) has awarded contracts to Subsea 7 and Wood for the provision of work related to its Thames Pipeline located in the Southern North Sea (SNS).

Following a recent completion of the acquisition of the Thames Pipeline, IOG has awarded a contract to Subsea 7 to provide a diving support vessel (DSV) to execute the offshore scope of work for the Thames Pipeline Intelligent Pigging Program (IPP).

The recommissioning of the pipeline is an essential part of the development of IOG’s Blythe and Vulcan Satellite hubs, allowing gas export to the Bacton Terminal.

The company said on Tuesday that, ahead of the IPP beginning, the DSV mobilized to location on April 26 and started work.

The IPP will include pressure tests of the Thames Pipeline before and after pigging operations. The Initial IPP and pressure test results are expected by early June 2018.

In addition to the IPP, the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) contract has been awarded to Wood for the subsea and pipelines scope of work on the dual hub development.

Platform fabrication FEED was completed by Heerema Fabrication Group on April 30 and design notification will be submitted to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) shortly.

IOG said that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Vulcan Satellites Hub was submitted to the UK Department of Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on April 24.

The company remains on schedule for Field Development Plan (FDP) approvals for the Blythe and Vulcan Satellites Hubs by the end of August 2018, with first gas planned in 4Q 2019.

Andrew Hockey, CEO of IOG commented: “We are pleased to have progressed from the onshore mechanical preparation stage of the Thames Pipeline Intelligent Pigging Program, which commenced in February, to the crucial offshore stage of operations. This pigging is an essential step in confirming to all stakeholders that our proven and fully-licensed 2P reserves of over 300 BCF can be produced safely and efficiently via the recommissioned Thames Pipeline. Owning high-capacity export infrastructure is a major strategic advantage in further developing our UK Southern North Sea portfolio.”

Hockey added: “In parallel with the Intelligent Pigging Program we continue to make good progress toward completing the necessary engineering and technical studies and submissions to the regulatory bodies to support our Final Investment Decision (FID) for which we remain on track by the end of August. We look forward to providing further updates on the pigging program, progress toward final investment decision and the appraisal well at Harvey at the earliest opportunity.”

When it comes to its planned Harvey appraisal well located in the UK sector of the North Sea, IOG said that the 3D seismic reprocessing to Pre-Stack Depth Migration is underway over the Harvey structure to optimize the appraisal well location.

The company has appointed Gordon McCaig as a new drilling manager, who will become IOG’s Well Integrity Authority for the Harvey well and the ten development wells that IOG will drill on the Blythe Hub and Vulcan Satellites Hub.