FIRST ABANDONMENT OF MAJOR N. SEA PLATFORM SLATED

Amoco (U.K.) Exploration is laying plans for the first abandonment of a major oil platform in the North Sea. The company expects to cease production from the Northwest Hutton platform in Block 211/27 during 1996. "Exact timing depends on field economics and oil prices," an Amoco spokesman said. "The field is producing very well at the moment." Amoco let a 500,000 ($750,000) contract to Kvaerner H&G Offshore Ltd., London, for development of a computer program to model how the platform jacket

April 25, 1994

2 min read

Amoco (U.K.) Exploration is laying plans for the first abandonment of a major oil platform in the North Sea.

The company expects to cease production from the Northwest Hutton platform in Block 211/27 during 1996.

"Exact timing depends on field economics and oil prices," an Amoco spokesman said. "The field is producing very well at the moment."

Amoco let a 500,000 ($750,000) contract to Kvaerner H&G Offshore Ltd., London, for development of a computer program to model how the platform jacket could be toppled using explosives.

The jacket is a conventional steel, eight leg structure, which weighs 12,700 metric tons and stands in 145 m of water.

"This probably will be the first major platform abandonment in the North Sea," the spokesman said, "and certainly the largest to date."

Amoco is discussing with U.K. Department of Trade & Industry the exact nature of the abandonment. The fate of the jacket after it has been toppled is still to be decided.

Amoco expects soon to announce a 2.4 million ($3.6 million) contract to the University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology for development work on underwater explosives for cutting platform jackets.

Northwest Hutton currently produces about 11,000 b/d of oil and NGL. Field reserves were estimated at 125 million bbl of oil and 10 million bbl of NGL. Production began in April 1983.