Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive, exploration and production, and Mike O'Brien, Minister of State for energy and e-Commerce, officially inaugurated the BP-operated Clair oilfield.
"With an estimated 5 Bbbl of oil in place in Clair, this is very much the start of the journey. Providing that a stable business and fiscal environment remains, we believe this first phase of production will allow us to unlock more of the Clair reservoir," Hayward says.
"Some 16 UK companies have been involved in this project, and through Clair we have built some real capability and insights for UK industry to respond to the challenge of developing complex reservoirs. Clair, which for so long proved impossible to develop, now has an exciting future."
The Clair field development project was approved in 2001, representing investment of £650 million. The facilities were installed offshore during the summer of 2004. Topsides installation at 11,700 tonnes in a single lift was one of the heaviest offshore lifts ever carried out in the UK continental shelf.
Facilities commissioning took place in January 2005, and final preparations are underway for first production, which is expected soon.
The Clair development comprises a conventional platform with production and process topsides facilities supported by a fixed steel jacket. The development is the first fixed platform in the West of Shetlands area.
A 105-km, 22-in. diameter pipeline will export oil from the field to the Sullom Voe Terminal in Shetland. Gas will be exported through a 10-km, 6-in. diameter spur line into the Magnus Enhanced Oil Recovery trunkline.
Discovered 27 years ago in with the 206/8-1a exploration discovery well, Clair covers five license blocks (206/7a, 206/12, 206/8, 206/13a, and 206/9) 47 mi west of Shetland in 140 m water depth. Clair was considered the largest undeveloped resource on the UK continental shelf. The first part of the field development will access recoverable reserves of 250 MMbbl of oil, with plateau production expected to reach 60,000 b/d of oil and 15 MMcf/d of gas.
BP operates the Clair field with 28.6% interest. Partners include ConocoPhillips with 24%, ChevronTexaco with 19.4%, Shell with 18.7%, and Amerada Hess with 9.3%.
02/21/05
