IMPROVED efficiency on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) helped produce an extra 12 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) last year, according to new figures – equivalent to 32,000 boe per day.

The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) report said production efficiency (PE) rose for the fifth consecutive year with a 1% improvement from 2016 bringing the figure to 74%.

It compared actual production to the theoretical maximum economic potential of the fields and associated infrastructure against previous years. The report, UKCS Production Efficiency in 2017, showed production losses were down to

200 million boe from 210m in 2016, with three of the five UKCS regions seeing improvements to PE.

It noted that the Southern North Sea (SNS) saw a 7% increase last year, recovering from a drop in 2016.

Well losses across the UKCS fell by 11% in 2017 after a significant rise the year before, and plant losses fell by 5%, helping to drive improved overall efficiency.

Loraine Pace, the OGA’s head of performance, planning and reporting said: “I’m really pleased that PE has continued to improve year on year in the UKCS. The report shows that industry has worked hard to deploy new technologies and shift towards efficiency cultures which has helped to achieve the 1% improvement.

“Looking ahead, the OGA remains committed to working with all operators in their efforts to further increase PE.”

Matt Nicol, chairman of the Production Efficiency Task Force, added: “This is positive news that UK production efficiency has risen for a fifth consecutive year to 74% in 2017, despite a challenging end to the year with the unplanned FPS [Forties Pipeline System] outage.

“Industry’s and individuals’ hard work and focus on best practice and new technology is sustaining these efficiency improvements, and I see many companies and people working together to deliver tangible progress.”

Meanwhile, one of the North Sea’s most complex developments will continue to produce oil and gas for another 20 years, operators have said.

The Eastern Trough Area Project (ETAP) comprises multiple fields sharing a central processing facility.

It opened 20 years ago and is now expected to operate into the mid to late 2030s under as a “poster child” of the OGA’s maximising economic recovery strategy.

At the time of exploration, the individual areas were not deemed to be commercially viable alone, so the ETAP alliance was formed to develop the fields as a joint development.

The project initially involved seven fields, four operated by BP and three by Shell, all funnelled through a central processing facility. Two further BP-operated fields came online in 2002 while two of the Shell fields have since ceased production.

Day-to-day production operations of the remaining seven ETAP fields are controlled by BP from the central processing facility, with more than 550m boe produced over its two decades.

BP North Sea regional president Ariel Flores said: “When the project was sanctioned in the mid-1990s, BP and our ETAP joint venture partners were applauded for our unique collaboration and high level of innovation. Here we are 20 years later, continuing to push boundaries in maximising recovery and extending field-life.

“ETAP remains a key asset in BP’s refreshed North Sea portfolio and our enduring North Sea presence.”