Start-up of Denmark’s largest natural gas field expected early next year

The TotalEnergies-operated Tyra redevelopment project in Danish waters is expected to produce first gas early in the first quarter of 2024 and reach plateau production in the second quarter of the year – earlier than previously communicated.

Tyra is Denmark’s largest natural gas field and has been a center for processing and exporting more than 90% of the natural gas produced in the Danish North Sea before its redevelopment. This was necessary due to the field’s natural subsidence of the chalk reservoir after many years of production.

The redevelopment encompasses three elements, including decommissioning and recycling of the old Tyra platforms, recycling and extending the current platform legs on six of the platforms with 13 meters, which will have new topsides, a completely new process module and a new accommodation platform.

BlueNord, a partner in the project, revealed that the Tyra redevelopment made significant progress with several milestones achieved and all subsea work being completed, reconnecting all the satellite fields to the Tyra hub. Leak testing has also been completed on the most complex systems and recent progress has been good on the remaining critical process system required to be completed for export.

With more visibility around the path from first gas to plateau production, first gas is now expected in early Q1 2024 and plateau production in Q2 2024. 

According to the company, this accelerated ramp-up, which will deliver plateau production earlier than what had been previously communicated, has been enabled by the revised start-up strategy which will allow more efficient execution of the remaining work necessary to reach plateau before the introduction of hydrocarbons.

BlueNord now expects Tyra will deliver greater volumes during 2024 than forecast in its previously published long-term production outlook. 

“Our focus and commitment to bringing Tyra onstream continues, and we have made substantial recent headway. As we get closer to first gas, it has become clear that completing more work prior to the introduction of hydrocarbons will result in a significantly shorter ramp-up to plateau production,” said Euan Shirlaw, Chief Executive Officer of BlueNord.

“BlueNord is therefore announcing a revised start-up strategy where we expect to achieve first gas in early Q1 2024 and plateau production in Q2 2024. This will see greater volumes than previously expected being delivered by Tyra in 2024, and consequently our long-term production profile is currently under review. Once onstream, Tyra will help us deliver our goal of producing over 55mboe/d net by 2025 and, in doing so, be positioned to provide a material return of capital to our shareholders.”

TotalEnergies is the operator of the Tyra field on behalf of the Danish Underground Consortium (DUC) – a partnership between TotalEnergies (43.2%), BlueNord (36.8%) and Nordsøfonden (20%).

Once the modernised Tyra II is back on stream, TotalEnergies expects it to be the most modern natural gas field in the world, securing continued production of natural gas with 30% less CO2 emissions.