Dana Petroleum, an oil and gas exploration and production company, is considering a new minimal platform concept for the Platypus gas field in the UK sector of the North Sea.

The Platypus gas field is located in the Southern North Sea in licence P1242, Block 48/1a.

It is operated by Dana Petroleum with 59% interest, and the partners are Parkmead Group and CalEnergy, each with 15% interest, and First Oil Expro with 11% interest.

Parkmead acquired its interest in 2011 from ExxonMobil’s subsidiary.

According to Parkmead, significant progress was made during the second half of 2015 at Platypus gas field development, and the minimal platform concept at the Platypus gas field further increases the attractiveness of the development.

Parkmead reported on Thursday that a detailed development concept work undertaken by the joint-venture partners, in order to to optimise the development of the field, found that by collaborating with other facilities in the area a minimal platform concept can be adopted, substantially reducing development expenditure.

In addition, Parkmead said, the field’s gas reserves can be efficiently recovered from two rather than three development wells. This increases the value of the already economic Platypus development, the company explained.

The Platypus gas field was discovered in 2010 and appraised with a horizontal well in 2012.

Platypus was flow tested at a rate of 27 million cubic feet of gas per day (approximately 4,600 barrels of oil per day on an equivalent basis).

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