THE UK Energy Secretary has given the green light to proposals to redevelop an oil and gas field 178 miles south-east of Aberdeen.
In a letter to the regulator, Grant Shapps said Neo Energy’s Affleck project is “not likely to have a significant effect on the environment”.
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Accordingly, he has given permission to the North Sea Transition Authority to rubber stamp the scheme.
Energy Voice says private-equity backed Neo lodged an environmental statement for its plans to reconnect wells at Affleck last year, having acquired 100% ownership of the field in 2021.
It is proposing that the A1 and A2 – previously operated by the Janice platform and decommissioned in 2016 – be overhauled and hooked into the existing Affleck manifold.
From there, oil and gas would be transported to Harbour Energy’s Judy installation via the Talbot field.
Previous timelines had first oil targeted for 2024.
Beginning operation in the middle of 2009, Affleck produced 4.3million barrels before its decommissioning.
Since then, the two wells that will form the backbone of the field redevelopment have remained untouched.
In 2018 the previous operator of Affleck, TotalEnergies, carried out a screening study to assess the options available for the redevelopment of the field.
