Work starts on Beatrice oil field wind farm

July 19, 2006
Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd. has begun work on a demonstration deepwater wind energy project that will extend the life of Beatrice oil field in the UK North Sea off Scotland.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 19 -- Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd. has begun work on a demonstration deepwater wind energy project that will extend the life of Beatrice oil field in the UK North Sea off Scotland.

The project, a joint venture with Scottish & Southern Energy, will use two of the largest turbines installed anywhere to test feasibility of wind farms in 45 m of water (OGJ Online, Sept. 10, 2004).

It will supply power to the adjacent Beatrice platform, parts of which will require modification. On stream since 1981, Beatrice produced an average of 3,800 b/d of oil last year.

The first of two 5 Mw turbines, which are about 85 m high, will depart Nigg in early August aboard the Scaldis Salvage & Marine Contractors NV Rambiz heavy lift crane barge. Work has begun to fix substructure jackets to the seabed.