LONDON, Dec 30 (Reuters) - BP has started producingoil from its Kinnoull field in the central North Sea, the oilmajor said on Tuesday, bringing on stream a new field that feedsinto BP's existing Andrew platform off the coast of Scotland.
Oil and gas produced at Andrew and Kinnoull is expected topeak at over 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and willbe transported to the mainland via the Forties oil pipeline andCATS gas pipeline, BP said.
BP said it was investing, together with project partners,more than 7 billion pounds ($10.9 billion) in the North Sea overthe next five years and that it had won licences in 7 new NorthSea blocks in the government's latest allocation round.
It has traditionally invested heavily in Britain's North Seaexploration but declining resources and expensive operating anddrilling costs have prompted it to shift its focus to moreprofitable markets.
BP has sold several North Sea assets, including oil fieldsto Abu Dhabi National Energy (TAQA).($1 = 0.6440 pounds) (Reporting by Karolin Schaps; editing by Jason Neely)