EnQuest PLC, the largest UK independent production company in the UK North Sea, has reached a new North Sea safety milestone by recording five years free of Lost Time Incidents (LTIs) on drilling operations in the Thistle field.
The LTI achievement covers a period of major operational activity which saw EnQuest bring Thistle drilling back online to drill its first new wells in 20 years.
EnQuest’s drilling team, supported by a KCA Deutag drill crew, an Aker well services crew and a range of other offshore contractors have taken Thistle from a rig upgrade through to rig start up, followed by two-and-a-half years of drilling operations involving workovers, sidetracks and the installation of three electrical submersible pumps (ESPs).
David Heslop, general manager at EnQuest said: “EnQuest‘s principal aim is to deliver safe results, and this is a great example of how collaboration underpinned by a robust safety culture can achieve exceptional performance safely.
“Over one million man hours have been worked during the five years without an LTI, which is an outstanding achievement under any circumstances but particularly given the challenges our team has faced in bringing Thistle drilling back online.”
EnQuest's Thistle platform is currently undergoing a significant programme of modifications and upgrades as part of the company's Late Life Extension (LLX) strategy to develop sustainable growth through the exploitation of mature fields.
EnQuest is a fast-evolving independent oil and gas development and production company and is the largest independent producer of oil and gas in the UK North Sea. Its assets include the Thistle, Deveron, Heather, Broom, West Don, Don Southwest, and Conrie producing fields, and the Alma and Galia development. At the end of June 2012, EnQuest had interests in 29 production licences covering 36 blocks or part blocks in the UKCS, of which 22 licences are operated by EnQuest.
EnQuest trades on both the London Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm.