LONDON, July 23 (UPI) -- A drilling platform in the Dutch waters of the North Sea was installed in preparation for development of the Orca natural gas field, project partners said.
The British arm of Germany energy company RWE Dea said it was taking part in the Orca project with the Dutch subsidiary of French energy company GDF Suez.
The companies said in a statement they've completed the installation of an offshore drilling platform with the aim of starting production by the end of the year.
RWE said the platform was installed in shallow North Sea waters. It is designed for a maximum production capacity of 84 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
"We are very pleased to have achieved this major milestone in the development of the Orca field," Rene Pawel, RWE regional managing director, said in a statement Monday. "The project is on track to provide an important contribution to reach our growth targets in the United Kingdom."
RWE said British territory was one of its bright spots in the last decade. Parts of the Orca field straddle the maritime border between the Netherlands and Great Britain.
