COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Maersk Oil is planning to halt production from Tyra field, Denmark’s largest gas field, during the fourth quarter of 2018. According to the Copenhagen-based company, an economically viable solution for full recovery of the field’s remaining resources has not yet been identified, and production is consequently expected to cease on Oct. 1, 2018.

“Tyra has since 1984 been the main hub for gas production and processing in the Danish North Sea. The Tyra facilities are approaching the end of their operational life, and together with our partners in the Danish Underground Consortium (DUC) we have assessed solutions for safe decommissioning and possible rebuilding of the Tyra facilities,” said Martin Rune Pedersen, COO, Maersk Oil.

Despite the more than DKK 1 billion spent on reinforcing the Tyra structures over the past 15 years, the facilities cannot safely continue production due to new knowledge on storm wave impact, combined with subsidence of the underground chalk reservoir, which reduces the gap between the platforms and the sea.

“We have not yet found an economically viable solution for full recovery of the remaining resources in Tyra field, and safe decommissioning of Tyra will therefore be commenced with the perspective of ceasing production on Oct. 1, 2018. In January 2017, we will have to reallocate resources from Tyra rebuild planning to engineering work for a detailed plan to discontinue the Tyra field as the Danish hub for gas processing,” added Pedersen.

Tyra field is operated by Maersk Oil on behalf of the DUC, a partnership between A.P. Moller – Maersk (31.2%), Shell (36.8%), Nordsøfonden (20%) and Chevron (12.0%).