Total discovers more potential at West Franklin well
French supermajor Total has completed drilling the West Franklin B appraisal well and found a significant increase in
the potential of the West Franklin field, located in the Central Graben area of the UK North Sea.
The West Franklin well encountered an Upper Jurassic reservoir and was tested with a rate of 985,000 cmpd of gas
(34.8 mm cfpd) and 314 cmpd (11 mm cfpd) of condensates on a 26/64-inch (66/162.5-cm) choke. It is currently
producing at a rate of 2.6 mm cmpd (91.8 mm cfpd). The well was drilled by Rowan jackup Rowan Gorilla V in 92 meters
(302 ft) of water.
West Franklin is now producing 20,000 boepd and is expected to eventually produce 45,000 boepd. Ultimate resources
have been significantly increased and are now believed to be almost 200 mm boe with additional drilling.
West Franklin was discovered in 2003 and brought into production in 2007. It is the deepest high pressure/high
temperature development to date in the UK Continental Shelf. West Franklin exports through the Elgin/Franklin
installation.
The West Franklin field is on Block 29/5b and 29/4d in the North Sea, around 240 km (149 miles) east of Aberdeen and
four km (2.4 miles) west of the Franklin wellhead platform. Total is operator of the field with a 37.5 % interest and
is considering options for the next development phases of the field.
Total's partners in the field include GdF Suez, ENI UK, BG Group, E.ON Ruhrgas UK North Sea, Chevron, ExxonMobil,
Dyas and Oranje Nassau.
