TotalFinaElf has made a significant gas and condensate discovery in Block 3/15 of the North Sea, around 440 kilometres north east of Aberdeen. The exploration well 3/15-9A was drilled on the Forvie North prospect, 16 kilometres from the Dunbar platform (Alwyn South) and 33 kilometres from Alwyn North platform.

The discovery was made at a depth of 3,560 metres, in a water depth of 120 metres. On each of the two tests, the well flowed at a rate of 1 million cubic metres of gas per day and 1,400 barrels of condensate per day.

Forvie forms part of the greater Alwyn Area which comprises the Alwyn North, Dunbar, Ellon, Grant and Nuggets fields.

These fields produce a combined total of 180,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day. Oil is exported to the Sullom Voe Oil Terminal while gas is exported to the St Fergus Gas Terminal.

TotalFinaElf is operator of the Alwyn Area and the St Fergus Gas Terminal with a 100% interest.

This new discovery strengthens TotalFinaElf's activities in the UK sector of North Sea, where the Group has been present for more than 35 years and where it also operates the Elgin and Franklin fields.