BG Group has declared first production from its Everest East expansion project in the UK North Sea. This significant milestone is the second of seven projects BG Group plans to bring onstream in 2013 as outlined at BG Group's annual results in February.

The Everest East expansion comprises two sub-sea wells tied back to the North Everest platform and brownfield modifications to the existing production system. It is expected that the project will provide initial peak production of over 10 000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day with total gross reserves of 20.6 million boe.

BG Group Chief Executive Chris Finlayson said: "With first production from the Everest East expansion in the UK North Sea, following the second floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel coming onstream offshore Brazil in January and the recent restart of Elgin/Franklin, we have now achieved the key production milestones we set for the first quarter of 2013."

Tags: BG Group