Sterling Resources Ltd. has said production will be shut-in at the RWE Dea UK-operated Breagh platform in the southern North Sea for up to two months.
Mechanical issues were discovered at the inlet area of the Teesside Gas Processing Plant (TGPP) during routine pigging operations to sweep the pipeline of liquids earlier this month.
Investigatory work indicated some irregularities with equipment. Further investigative work has since been carried out.
According to Sterling, when gas reaches the TGPP, there is a buried junction at which point gas and liquids are taken off above ground to be processed in the plant, and any pigging devices are removed from the pipeline.
The junction is fitted with a barred tee-junction to guide the pigging devices to pigging reception facilities.
Inspection of the junction using a remotely controlled camera found that the bars within the junction were severely deformed.
After removal of the spool piece on the inlet to the gas/liquid separator, two damaged pipeline spheres used in pigging operations to sweep the pipeline of liquids were found.
Four thermo-wells between the barred tee-junction and the inlet to the gas/liquid separator, which protrude into the gasline at the inlet to the plant, were also severely deformed.
In addition, temperature probes in the thermowells were damaged, creating the indications of abnormal conditions.
Remedial work is now being developed to rectify the damage. Preliminary estimates for return to production is six to eight weeks.
A full root cause investigation into the occurrence is ongoing, said Sterling.
Breagh is in North Sea blocks 42/12a and 42/13a, 62m water depth, about 100km east of Teesside.
Gas is exported via a 20-in. pipeline from the Breagh Alpha platform to Coatham Sands, Redcar, on the UK mainland, and then via an 11km buried onshore pipeline to the TGPP at Seal Sands for processing.
The TGPP site is owned by North Sea Midstream Partners. After processing at the TGPP, the gas enters the UK National Transmission System.
During 2009, RWE Dea UK acquired its current 70% interest in the Breagh gas field and became operator, with Sterling retaining the remaining 30%.
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