British oil and gas exploration and production company Serica Energy has secured final approval from the UK North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) for the development of the Belinda field in the UK Central North Sea.
The company plans to undertake the drilling of the offshore development in the first half of 2025 using the COSLInnovator drilling rig.
Following the drilling, the Belinda field is due to be tied back to the Triton floating production storage and offloading (FPSO).
Located in Block 21/30f around 6km south-east of the Triton FPSO, the offshore field is being developed as a single-well tieback.
As per the estimates, the Belinda field has proven and probable reserves of approximately five million barrels of oil equivalent, with oil making up 80% of this figure.
Production from the field is expected to start in the first quarter of 2026 after the completion of the tie-back operations to the Triton FPSO.
Serica chairman and interim CEO David Latin said: “We have further potential projects in our portfolio, which we continue to assess, including the possible redevelopment of the Kyle field, which could, like Belinda, be another low-emissions tie-back candidate to the Triton FPSO.
“We look to the UK Government to implement tax and licensing arrangements that support investments like Belinda, thereby creating UK jobs, earnings and tax receipts instead of increasing reliance on energy imports.”
The Belinda well represents the fifth well in Serica's drilling campaign within the Triton area, which began in April 2023.
The Triton Area encompasses eight oil fields in the UK Central North Sea, all of which utilise shared infrastructure.
Located around 190km east of Aberdeen in 90m-deep waters, the area includes the currently producing fields of Evelyn, Bittern, Clapham, Gannet E, Guillemot West and Northwest, Pict and Saxon.
These fields are connected to the Triton FPSO for oil and gas processing and export.
Earlier this year, Serica Energy subsidiary Serica Energy (UK) acquired a 30% stake in the Greater Buchan Area (GBA) oil field from Jersey Oil & Gas (JOG). The deal was signed in November 2023.
The GBA comprises the P2498 and P2170 licences on the UK Continental Shelf.
