French energy behemoth Total has officially inaugurated the Laggan-Tormore project in the Shetland Islands, UK.

The inauguration ceremony was held on Monday, at the Shetland Gas Plant in the presence of government and industry partners including Amber Rudd MP, the UK Government Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of Total.

The Laggan-Tormore offshore fields began production on February 7, 2016, and production has since ramped up to the full production capacity of 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, according to Total.

Vote of confidence

UK Government Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd said that “This vote of confidence” in the offshore oil and gas industry is “great news for the Shetland Islands and for the UK as a whole.”

She said the project is creating jobs and providing secure, affordable energy to the UK’s families and businesses for decades to come.

“North Sea oil and gas is crucial to our energy mix and this Government is clear that the broad shoulders of the UK are firmly behind this vital industry and the thousands of workers and families it supports. We are 100% committed to helping our oil and gas industry attract investment, unlock new potential and remain competitive for the future,” Rudd added.

French commitment to UK

The Laggan-Tormore fields are located west of the Shetland Islands in 600 meters of water. The development consists of a 140-kilometer tie-back of four subsea wells to the new onshore Shetland Gas Plant which has a capacity of 500 million standard cubic feet per day. Following treatment at the gas plant, the processed gas is exported to the mainland. Total operates Laggan-Tormore, Edradour and Glenlivet with a 60% interest alongside partners DONG E&P (UK) Limited (20%) and SSE E&P UK Limited (20%).

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of Total said: “The Laggan-Tormore development demonstrates Total’s continued commitment to the United Kingdom. By opening up its third production hub in the frontier deep offshore waters of the West of Shetland, Total is also improving the United Kingdom’s long-term energy security. This subsea-to-shore development is the first of its kind in the country and will provide the domestic market with 8% of its daily gas requirements while enabling the potential for further developments in the West of Shetland area.”