This Analogue Spotlight is the Machar Field in the UK North Sea. This global oil and gas analogue provides a perfect example of how phased development can be useful when facing uncertainty surrounding reservoir distribution and performance.

The majority of reserves in the Machar Field (UK Block 23/26a) are contained within deepwater pelagic chalk, with initial appraisal wells showing variable flow rates, leading to uncertainty surrounding the commercial viability of the field. As a result, the development at Machar was undertaken in three phases:

Phase 1 – Tested both long term productivity from the fractured chalk and natural drive strength.

Phase 2 – Tested the effectiveness of water injection in the fractured chalk reservoir.

Phase 3 – Saw the Machar field put fully on stream.

Phase 1 and 2 increased the Machar reserves from 62 MMBO (under natural depletion) to 135 MMBO (under water injection) and proved that production was commercially feasible enough to bring it on stream.

The Digital Analogue Knowledge System (DAKS™) contains many global oil and gas analogues specifically focused on heavy oil fields. Use these analogues to benchmark your own field, and delve into C&C Reservoirs Reservoir Evaluation Reports to discover best practices from top performing reservoirs that can be applied to your own assets.