UK supermajor BP has completed construction work of Clair Ridge, west of Shetlands Islands, bringing its US$6 billion investment closer to production.
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Clair Ridge. Image from BP United Kingdom Twitter. |
Clair Ridge is the second phase of development of the Clair field, which is the largest undeveloped hydrocarbon resource on the UK Continental Shelf with an estimated 8 billion bbl in place.
The Clair field, 75km west of the Shetland Islands, extends over an area of 220sq km in 150m water depth.
BP said it is targeting 640 MMbbl of recoverable resources at Clair Ridge, which is designed to continue producing until 2050 at a peak rate of more than 100,000 b/d.
The company’s $6 billion (£4.5 billion) investment consists two new bridge-linked fixed steel jacket platforms and topsides, comprising a drilling and production (DP) platform, and a quarters and utilities (QU) platform.
Following construction and the installation of the final topside modules, final hook-up and commissioning will then start with first oil expected at the end of 2017. Start-up at Clair Ridge is expected to help BP increase its production by 500,000 boe/d net.
“It will see the world’s first deployment of BP’s enhanced oil recovery technology LoSal, a water injection method that is expected to deliver an additional 40 MMbbl,” BP said.
In April, the final DP drilling modules left the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) yard on the Dockwise Mighty Servant I, marking the end of the project’s fabrication efforts in South Korea, which followed the departure of the initial DP modules on three other Dockwise vessels which began to depart from South Korea on 14 March.
Clair Field was discovered in 1977, but challenging reservoir characteristics and the technological limits of the time meant it was the mid-1990s before the field saw extensive drilling and 2001 before BP and partners approved a development plan, the company said.
The first development phase, Clair Phase 1, was sanctioned in 2001. It was developed with a single fixed platform with production and process topsides facilities, supported by a steel jacket and associated oil and gas export facilities.
Production from the Clair field started in February 2005 from the first phase facilities and has so far produced around 80 MMbbl. The first phase facilities are designed to continue producing until 2028.
“We are continuing our appraisal drilling program in the Clair field to help define a possible third phase of development,” BP said.
In Q1, the UK supermajor posted a replacement cost loss of $485 million, compared with a profit of $2.1 billion the previous year, due to the continuing low oil prices. Yet, the firm said it is set to see production levels lifted as a string of new projects come onstream through 2016-2017, which includes Clair Ridge.
Read more:
BP profits down, production set to increase
Clair Ridge topsides installed: photos
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