The Gryphon Alpha rises

摘要

When production from the central North Sea Gryphon field came online in October 1993, it was seen as a success. In a tough economic climate, operator Kerr McGee cut 35% of the capital cost and achieved first oil almost three years faster than planned, by choosing a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, the Gryphon Alpha, instead of a fixed platform (OE: October 1994). The Gryphon Alpha, stationed 282km north-east of Aberdeen in 112m water, in Block 9/18b, was the North Sea's first permanently moored FPSO. Of the first 12 wells-7 were for horizontal production.