Environment Report 2014

5.3 Survey Results 5.3.1 Combined Platform and Subsea Wells Results

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Information on 5,754 subsea wells has been received to date, representing nearly 80 per cent of the total subsea wells listed in the UKOilandGasData database. Combined with the results from 5,121 platform wells, Oil & Gas UK now holds well flow data on 10,875 wells, accounting for 87 per cent of all wells listed in UKOilandGasData 25 . As shown in Figure 24, 4,129 platform wells and 5,211 subsea wells are not capable of free flow. Wells that have been plugged and abandoned have been categorised in the ‘no flow’ grouping. Of the 5,211 subsea wells in the ‘no flow’ category, 4,372 (84 per cent) have been plugged and abandoned. The results show that 992 platform wells and 543 subsea wells are capable of free flow. Of the 992 platform wells capable of unassisted flow, 21 can flow at a rate greater than 5,000 bopd. Of the 543 subsea wells capable of unassisted flow, 90 can flow at a rate greater than 5,000 bopd. This means only one per cent of all wells in the Oil & Gas UK well flow status inventory are capable of flow rates at above 5,000 bopd (111 of a total 10,875 wells).

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Figure 24: Well Flow Status of Platform and Subsea Wells on the UK Continental Shelf

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6,000

5,211 (91%)

5,000

4,129 (81%)

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4,000

3,000

8

2,000

Number of Wells

992 (19%)

1,000

543 (9%)

0

No Flow

Flow

No Flow

Flow

Platform

Subsea

Well Type

Source: Oil & Gas UK November 2014

25 As at February 2013

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