Ramco to address Seven Heads production decline

Production from the Seven Heads gas well in the Celtic Sea has declined according to the well operator Ramco.

The company is to undertake what is termed a diagnostic "blow-down" programme to relieve pressure on the wells later this week.

The process should take about five days to complete.

A temporary connection to the compressors on Marathon's Kinsale "A" platform will then be used to reduce the pressure in the pipeline connecting Seven Heads to the platform.

Once this has been done the Seven Heads wells will be re-opened.

The Aberdeen-based exploration and production company believes this should result in a surge of production that will quickly remove any water that has built up in the well bores.

Ramco also believes that data obtained during this process should allow an improved measurement of reservoir pressures, and will be invaluable in helping to determine the future deliverability and recoverable reserves of the field.

The firm's gas sales agreement volumes apply until the end of September 2004 and the company can adjust nominations for the next gas year to better match the field's expected performance.

It has also put in place additional back up transportation arrangements at a total cost of £3.7m (€5.58m).

Ramco's Seven Heads partners are Ramco (Operator) 86.5%, Island Petroleum Developments Limited 12.5% and Sunningdale Oils (Ireland) Limited 1.0%.

A further update will follow the completion of the blow-down and assessment of the results.