UK: Buzzard wins development

THE LARGEST oil discovery made in UK waters for a decade won development approval in late-November. Buzzard, operated by Canada's EnCana, will flow at a plateau rate of 180,000-190,000 barrels a day (b/d) from reserves estimated at 1.2bn barrels in place, of which over 400m barrels are recoverable. First oil should be achieved at the end of 2006, with the plateau being reached in mid-2007. Because of its size and processing requirements, the Buzzard development is an old-style project with substantial offshore structures. There will be three piled steel platforms, standing in 100 metres of water some 55 km off Peterhead—a wellhead platform, a processing platform and an accommodation and util