Production starts at Tyrihans field

OSLO, Norway, July 9 (UPI) -- French energy giant Total announced production started at its offshore Tyrihans oil and gas field in the Norwegian Sea, the largest such effort for 2009.

Total, which owns a minority stake in the group managing the field, said development drilling operations at Tyrihans would continue through 2011.

The share for Total at Tyrihans is expected to reach around 25,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day for the next 10 years.

Tyrihans was discovered in 1982 and is comprised of an oil field with a gas cap and a gas and condensate field located in about 886 feet of water.

Recoverable reserves, according to StatoilHydro, the majority shareholder, are expected to reach 186 million barrels of oil and about 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

Existing projects near the field mean operators can use infrastructure already in place.

Resources from the field will transit through a 27-mile pipeline to nearby facilities for processing and then onto European markets through the Asgard Transport pipeline.

The field is the largest operation for the project partners brought on stream in 2009. Total, for its part, said it was examining appraisals at another offshore Norwegian field, the Victoria gas discovery.