BP today announced the successful start-up of the Devenick gas project in the central North Sea. The Devenick project is a subsea tie-back to Marathon Oil’s East Brae platform and provides an important new source of domestic gas for the UK.

Trevor Garlick, Regional President for BP’s North Sea business, said: “The Devenick project has been delivered safely and on schedule. The project provides an important source of domestic gas to the UK and has also been a great example of the UK’s strengths in subsea engineering. Around £500 million has been invested in the UK supply chain during the development of this project.”

Production from the field is due to peak in 2013 at up to 100 million standard cubic feet per day. Total investment by BP and its partners in the Devenick project has been around £650 million.

Energy Minister John Hayes said: “As winter approaches, BP’s announcement is very warmly welcome. When the Devenick project comes on full stream it will add an extra three per cent to current UK gas production – enough to supply the equivalent of more than half a million homes a year.

“The majority of this project’s £650 million investment has benefited UK companies, and it is only because of the expertise of our world class subsea sector that this project is technically possible.”

BP owns 88.7 per cent and RWE Dea UK the remaining 11.3 per cent.

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