Neptune Energy has been allowed to increase oil production by up to three times the current limit of 3,700 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) at the Römerberg oil field in the Rhine Valley, southwest Germany.
APPLICATION
The move follows approval from the Rhineland-Palatinate mining authority to raise the production limit.
The decision supports Neptune Energy’s investment strategy for the Römerberg field and its wider German business portfolio, said the company.
Neptune, as the operator, has worked for more than six years on the application to increase the production limit.
NEW WELLS
Neptune added it would also continue working with its licence partner on plans for new wells and surface facility upgrades.
The company is currently drilling the ninth production well on Römerberg, which is due to come on stream in Q4 2022.
The Römerberg oil field project, discovered in 2003 with production beginning in 2007, comprises partners Neptune Energy (50%), Palatina GeoCon (licence owner, 50%).
GAS PRODUCTION
The approval follows Neptune’s announcement last week of an extension of higher gas production from the Duva field in Norway.
This will supply enough gas to heat a further 550,000 UK homes per day, said the company.
In April, Norwegian authorities granted Neptune and the Duva licence partners a permit to increase temporarily gas production by 6,500 boepd until September.
Under the new permit, the higher production rate will be maintained until the end of 2022.
Duva’s overall production is around 40 kboepd, of which 15 kboepd is natural gas.