Total Weighs up Elgin-Franklin Extension

France's Total is considering a potential life extension at its Elgin-Franklin gas and condensate project in the North Sea, its licence partner Chrysaor said on December 16.

"The operator is currently planning facilities and integrity work towards a potential extension of field life," Chrysaor said in an operations update.

Total has a 56.2% interest in Elgin-Franklin, while Italy's Eni has 21.9% and Chrysaor has 14.1%. The other project partners are Ithaca Energy, Premier Oil, ExxonMobil's Esso unit, One Dyas and Summit. The field started up in 2001 and was reported in June to have flowed 1bn barrels of oil equivalent since its launch. It produced 134,750 boe/day in the first 11 months of this year, according to Chrysaor's estimate.

Elgin-Franklin consists of the Elgin processing platform, two wellhead platforms and the Franklin and West Franklin normally unmanned installations. Its gas is delivered to the Bacton gas terminal on the Norfolk coast via the Shell-operated Shearwater Elgin Area Line pipeline.

The plan to potentially extend the Elgin-Franklin's life comes after Total made the Isabella gas and condensate discovery in March some 40 km south of the field. Isabella is understood to be a high-pressure, high-temperature field as are Elgin-Franklin and others in the region.