Brent System

Last updated

Brent System
Location
Country Scotland, United Kingdom
General directionnorth-south-west
From North Sea oilfields
Passes through Cormorant Alpha
To Sullom Voe Terminal
General information
Typeoil
Operator TAQA Bratani
Technical information
Length147 km (91 mi)
Maximum discharge100,000 bbl/d (16,000 m3/d)
Diameter36 in (914 mm)

The Brent System pipeline transports oil from the North Sea oilfields via Cormorant Alpha to the Sullom Voe Terminal in Shetland, Scotland. [1] Since 3 August 2009, it is operated by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company replacing the previous operator Royal Dutch Shell. [1] [2] The Brent system is jointly owned by 21 companies. [1]

Contents

Oil transportation system

Oil is transported from 20 oilfields, including:

Pipelines

The Cormorant A to Sullom Voe pipeline is 36 inches (910 mm) diameter steel (API 5L X60) of 147 kilometres (91 mi) in length. It has capacity of 100,000 barrels per day (16,000 m3/d). [1] The Brent C to Cormorant A pipeline is 30 inches (760 mm) in diameter and 35 kilometres (22 mi) long.

Other oil pipelines are: [3]

Brent system oil pipelines
Pipeline numberFromToDiameter (inches)Length (km)
PL001Brent CCormorant A3035.9
PL049Brent ABrent Spar162.8
PL048Brent BBrent Spar162.3
PL045Brent BBrent C244.6
PL046Brent DBrent C204.0
PL1955Brent ABrent B14 (flexible)

The specification for crude oil transported in the Brent system is as follows: [4]

Crude oil specification
ParameterValue
Entry pointCormorant A
Exit pointSullom Voe terminal
Crude oilNon-sour
Base sediment and water5%
True vapour pressure at entry115 psia @ 100 °F
True vapour pressure at exit220 psia @ 100 °F
Hydrogen sulfide25 mg/l
Carbon dioxide251 mg/l

Production

Oil production from the Brent field from 1976 to 1983 was as follows (1000 barrels): [5]

Decommissioning

Shell UK Limited propose to decommission the Brent Field pipelines in the mid-2020s. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sullom Voe</span> Inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine in Shetland in Scotland

Sullom Voe is an inlet of the North Sea between the parishes of Delting and Northmavine in Shetland, Scotland. It is a location of the Sullom Voe oil terminal and Shetland Gas Plant. The word Voe is from the Old Norse vagr and denotes a small bay or narrow creek. The head of the voe makes up the eastern side of Mavis Grind.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent oilfield</span> Former oilfield in the North Sea

The Brent field was an oil and gas field located in the East Shetland Basin of the North Sea, 186 kilometres (116 mi) north-east of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, Scotland, at a water depth of 140 metres (460 ft). The field operated by Shell UK Limited was discovered in 1971 and was once one of the most productive parts of the UK's offshore assets but has reached the stage where production is no longer economically viable. Decommissioning of the Brent field is complete with the exception of Brent C, which is producing from another field. The discovery well 211/26-1 was drilled in 1971 by the semi-submersible drilling rig "Staflo". This was a major surprise at the time as the nearest land in Scotland and Norway is composed of granite and other non reservoir metamorphic rocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statfjord oil field</span>

The Statfjord oil field is a large oil and gas field covering 580 km2 in the U.K.-Norwegian boundary of the North Sea at a water depth of 145 m, discovered in 1974 by Mobil and since 1987 operated by Equinor.

The FLAGS pipeline is a natural gas pipeline in the UK sector of the North Sea which, together with its associated pipelines, is used to transport gas and associated liquids from oil and gas fields in the northern North Sea to the St. Fergus gas terminal.

The Dunlin oilfield is situated 195 km northeast of Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, in block number 211/23a and 211/24a. It was originally operated by Shell but was sold in 2008 and is now operated by Fairfield Energy and partners MCX.

The Cormorant oilfield is located 161 kilometres (100 mi) north east of Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, in block number 211/26a. It was discovered in September 1972 at a depth of 150 metres (490 ft). Estimated recovery is 90 million barrels of oil. The oil reservoir is located at a depth of 2,895 metres (9,498 ft). The discovery well, 211/26-1 was drilled by semi submersible rig Staflo.

The Eider Oilfield is situated 184 kilometres (114 mi) north east of Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland, in block numbers 211/16a and 211/21a. It is operated by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA). It was discovered in May 1976 in a water depth of 157.5 metres (517 ft). Estimated recovery is 85 million barrels (13,500,000 m3) of oil.

Platform Name - Tern Alpha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schiehallion oilfield</span>

The Schiehallion oilfield is a deepwater offshore oilfield approximately 175 kilometres (110 mi) west of the Shetland Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Schiehallion and adjacent Loyal field were jointly developed by BP on behalf of the Schiehallion field partners; BP, Shell, Amerada Hess, Murphy Oil, Statoil and OMV, and the Loyal field partners; BP and Shell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sullom Voe Terminal</span> Oil and Gas terminal

The Sullom Voe Terminal is an oil and gas terminal at Sullom Voe in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It handles production from oilfields in the North Sea and East Shetland Basin and stores oil before it is transported by tanker.

The Ninian Pipeline is a 175 kilometres (109 mi) long crude oil pipeline, which runs from the Ninian Central platform in the northern North Sea to the Sullom Voe Terminal in Shetland Islands of Scotland.

The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, PJSC (TAQA) is a government controlled energy holding company of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Hutton oil field, located on the UK continental shelf, was the location for the first ever production Tension Leg Platform (TLP).

The West of Shetland Pipeline (WOSP) is a pipeline system which transports natural gas from three offshore fields in the West of Shetland area to Sullom Voe Terminal in the Shetland Isles of Scotland.

The Magnus oilfield is a large oilfield in the United Kingdom's zone of North Sea. It is located 160 kilometres (99 mi) north-east of the Shetland Islands. The field is located mainly in Block 211/12a. Resources are estimated to total 1.54 billion barrels of oil, of which 869 million barrels are recoverable reserves.

The Thistle oil field is a large oil field in the northern sector of the North Sea. The oil field, discovered in September 1972 by Signal Oil and Gas Company, is produced over the Thistle Alpha platform, located 125 nautical miles northeast of Sumburgh, Shetland Islands and 275 nautical miles Northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murchison oilfield</span>

The Murchison oil field is located in the northern North Sea in the East Shetland Basin on the UK Continental Shelf. The field is situated 150 km north-east of Shetland and straddles the UK/Norwegian median line. It lies in UK Block 211/19 and extends into Norwegian Block 33/9. The field is named after the Scottish geologist Sir Roderick Impey Murchison (1792–1871). Recoverable reserves were estimated to be 340 million barrels of oil out of a total oil-in-place of 790 million barrels. The field was developed through a large steel jacket platform standing in 156 m of water. The peak production rate was 150,383 barrels of oil per day in December 1982. Oil production was supported by gas and water injection. Production ceased in 2014 and the platform was removed in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flotta oil terminal</span> Crude oil facility on Flotta, Orkney, Scotland

The Flotta oil terminal is a major crude oil reception, processing, storage and export facility on the island of Flotta, in the south of Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. It receives and processes crude oil delivered by a subsea pipeline from the Piper, Claymore, Tartan and Golden Eagle platforms and associated fields. The terminal includes facilities for exporting stabilised crude oil by tanker.

Alwyn North is a major oil and gas field in the United Kingdom sector of the northern North Sea, 160 km east of the Shetland Islands. The field was developed through two bridge-linked offshore platforms and a number of subsea satellite wellheads. Alwyn North has been producing oil and gas since 1987 and is still (2023) in operation.

The Heather oil field is a significant crude oil producing field in the UK sector of the northern North Sea, 458 km north-north-east of Aberdeen. Production of oil started in 1978 and ceased in 2019. The Heather Alpha installation is currently (2021) undergoing decommissioning.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Taqa takes Brent pipe reins". Upstream Online . NHST Media Group. 3 August 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  2. Christopher Johnson, Barbara Lewis (3 August 2009). "Abu Dhabi firm says becomes N. Sea Brent operator". Reuters. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  3. 1 2 Shell UK Limited, Brent field pipelines decommissioning programme (2020)
  4. Taqa Brent System
  5. Oilfield Publications Limited (1985). The North Sea Platform Guide. Oilfield Publications Limited. p. 83.