New Bruce platform tops NW Europe action

Northwest Europe's offshore operators have claimed a series of firsts, as they continue their use of innovation to squeeze more out of a mature play.

The largest-scale project disclosed was installation of a jacket and topsides for secondary development of Bruce field on U.K. North Sea Block 9/9b by operator BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd.

In other development action in the region:

• Total Oil Marine plc and contractor Stolt Comex Seaway Ltd., Aberdeen, claimed the U.K.'s first subsea hot tap tie-in during Ross field development.
• Shell U.K. Exploration & Production changed out a subsea control module in North Sea Kingfisher field in less than 4 hours using a new technique.
• Shell Expro also claimed a North Sea first for production from a well fitted with a dual electrical submersible pump (ESP)/gas lift completion.

Bruce platform

During June, the Thialf crane barge installed a 3,200-metric ton steel jacket and 2,750-ton topsides in the field. The new platform will be bridge-linked to the existing platform. Next, BP will install a 213-ton subsea manifold and 6-km pipeline bundle.

The 13-well subsea development will begin production from the western area of Bruce field, with first production due in autumn this year. BP says Bruce Phase II will give access to a further 728 bcf of gas and 61 million bbl of liquids.

Bruce was brought into production in 1993 and currently produces up to 688 MMcfd of gas. Estimated reserves are 2.6 tcf of gas and 212 million bbl of liquids.

Ross hot tap

The hot tap work was carried out on behalf of Ross field operator Talisman Energy U.K. Ltd.

It will enable gas from Ross to be sent to shore through the Total-operated Frigg system pipeline to St. Fergus terminal in Scotland.

Ross field is being developed with a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel. It will have capacity to process 46,000 b/d of oil.

The tie-in involved connection of a 6-in. gas export pipeline from Ross to the 32-in. Frigg trunkline. Total said the work was carried out without depressurizing or stopping the gas flow, eliminating environmental consequences of flaring or venting the pipeline.

Kingfisher changeout

Contractor Kvaerner Oilfield Products Ltd., Aberdeen, carried out the Kingfisher changeout operation-claimed to be the world's first free-flown remotely operated vehicle (ROV) changeout of a subsea control module.

Kvaerner deployed a specially developed heavy lift module and Trojan ROV from John Shaw semisubmersible, which was operating in 120 m of water.

Kvaerner said the module is designed to operate at depths to 1,000 m and is capable of retrieving components weighing up to 1.5 tons. Choke inserts can be changed out from both subsea trees and manifold-mounted chokes.

Tern dual ESP

The ESP system was provided for Shell's Tern field by Centrilift, Aberdeen, which said it will provide the well's full artificial lift requirement, with dual lift completion giving the option to extend production between workovers and add flexibility to workover planning.

The dual system incorporates two 900 hp motors and is expected to be able to produce up to 14,000 b/d of oil during its first year of operation. Centrilift said the similar has potential for other North Sea fields where operators want to extend field life through use of gas lift.

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