A18-FA

Location

The A18-FA Gas Field is situated offshore in the Netherlands, specifically within the concession blocks A18a and A18c. The coordinates for the field are 55.117, 3.832 (WGS 84).

Operator and Ownership

The field is operated by Petrogas E&P Netherlands B.V. The owners of the field include Petrogas E&P Netherlands B.V., TAQA Offshore B.V., and ONE-Dyas B.V..

Discovery and Production

The A18-FA Gas Field was discovered in 1987. The Final Investment Decision (FID) year is not specified, but production began in 2015.

Production and Reserves

• Production: The field produced 686.56 million m³ of gas per year in 2019 and 407.46 million m³ per year in 2022.
• Reserves: As of 2010, the field had proven extractable gas reserves of 1329.3 million m³.

Type of Gas Field

The A18-FA Gas Field is classified as a shallow gas field, which means the gas is present in the upper 1 km of strata. This type of field is significant in the Dutch North Sea, where shallow gas has been explored as a potential resource and also studied for its geohazard implications and environmental impact.

Seismic and Exploration

The field was identified using seismic data, particularly through the observation of bright spots and other direct hydrocarbon indicators (DHIs) such as flat spots, velocity push-downs, transmission, and attenuation effects. These indicators help in qualifying the seismic anomalies as related to gas saturation.

Context in Dutch Natural Gas Production

The Netherlands is the 29th largest producer of natural gas globally, and the country's natural gas production has been declining. The A18-FA Gas Field is one of the many natural gas fields in the Netherlands, with the majority located offshore in the North Sea. Major producers in the Netherlands include EBN, Exxon Mobil, and Shell.