Al Shaheen wins best offshore project award Tuesday, 18 January 2011 01:46

DOHA: Maersk Oil Qatar has been awarded ‘Best Offshore Project’ at the Middle East Oil & Gas Awards for its development of Qatar’s Al Shaheen field, in partnership with Qatar Petroleum.

The award recognised the best offshore project in 2010 to demonstrate world-class performance, execution, technical capability and collaboration. The judging panel were unanimous in their decision that the Al Shaheen should win not only for its technical pedigree, but for its ability to raise the bar in industry standards.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Energy and Industry and Chairman and Managing Director of QP H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah commented on the occasion: “The Exploration Production and Sharing Agreement (EPSA) with Maersk Oil was one of the early steps we undertook to increase the reserves and production of crude in Qatar and we are pleased to have witnessed bearing the fruit of this successful cooperation.”

Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, Director of Oil and Gas Ventures Qatar Petroleum said: “We’re very pleased that the Al Shaheen development project has received this recognition. Its unique challenges have presented a huge learning opportunity for the industry and Qatar - helping us further develop the key competencies which will enable us to maximise our reserves base for a sustainable future.”

The field was originally deemed unviable, due to its tight thin reservoirs, making economic development extremely difficult. However, Maersk Oil Qatar’s use of horizontal well technology has enabled successful development of the field, with current production at some 300,000 barrels of oil per day, as Qatar’s largest oil producer.

Maersk Oil Qatar Managing Director Lewis Affleck said: “It’s a great honour to receive this award, but one which we feel is well-deserved given the size, complexity and importance of this project.” He added: “We are very proud of the fact that together with Qatar Petroleum, we have managed to turn this challenging field into a commercial success.”

| More...