Monday 21 February 2022

IOG plc, the Net Zero UK gas and infrastructure operator focused on high return projects, provides the following operational update.

Andrew Hockey, CEO of IOG, commented:

"The IOG leadership team attended Bacton terminal late last week to go through a Pre-Start Up Safety Review ahead of final Saturn Banks commissioning. Terminal operator Perenco, executing works on IOG's behalf, advised us that the current stormy weather has hampered the final construction and leak testing programme with a knock-on impact on commissioning of the safety instrumentation systems. As a result the plant will likely not be ready to start backgassing until the week beginning 28th February, with First Gas from both Blythe and Elgood around a week later. Albeit frustrating, this delay facilitates a safe and reliable start-up."

Saturn Banks Reception Facilities (SBRF), Backgassing and First Gas

SBRF preparation for First Gas is now 99% complete. IOG senior management attended a final Pre-Start Up Safety Review and inspected the facilities on Thursday 17 February as part of pre-completion assurance. Final pre-commissioning checks and cause-and-effect function testing and final construction activities continue to be undertaken, albeit severe weather from the named storms passing over the UK has been hindering progress with further stormy weather likely to impact crane lifting operations. Once the terminal operator Perenco UK Limited (PUK), the Company and its pipeline duty holder ODE Asset Management (ODEAM) have fully signed off the onshore facilities to safely introduce hydrocarbons, then backgassing operations can commence. This is now targeted for the week beginning 28th February, with First Gas expected to occur approximately a week later. The unsettled weather may also potentially impede the operations required at the Blythe platform as part of the backgassing and start-up procedures, although the bulk of this work is now complete. As a result of a planned inspection the UK Health and Safety Executive have raised a number of clarifications required to be resolved ahead of start-up and this is being addressed.

Southwark

In parallel, the Company has continued to progress suitable options for a timely and safe return to Southwark drilling, after unstable conditions due to seabed scouring forced operations to be suspended in January. During February to date the forward plan has been defined with the assistance of subject matter experts and agreed with the rig owner. This essentially entails creating pads on the seabed with suitable sized rocks to enable stable positioning of the rig spud cans. This solution is now being expedited with drilling expected to be resumed at Southwark in March subject to completion of the necessary regulatory approvals and commercial processes.