Clipper gas field

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Clipper gas field
CountryUnited Kingdom
RegionNorth Sea
Location/blocks48/19a
Offshore/onshoreOffshore
Coordinates53.460278N 1.732222E
OperatorsShell
OwnerShell/Exxon
Field history
DiscoveryMarch 1968
Start of production1990
Production
Recoverable gas22.5×10^9 m3 (790×10^9 cu ft)
Producing formationsLower Permian Leman Sandstone

The Clipper gas field is a major natural gas reservoir and gas production facility in the UK sector of the southern North Sea. The field is located about 73 km north-north-east of Bacton, Norfolk; the Clipper production facility has operated since 1990.

Contents

The fields

The Clipper field was discovered by Shell in March 1968 in Block 48/19a, part of the Sole Pit area. The gas reservoir is a Lower Permian Leman Sandstone Formation. The field is jointly owned by ESSO E&P UK Ltd (50 %) and Shell UK Ltd (50 %). [1] The field was anticipated to have recoverable reserves of 22.5 billion cubic metres (bcm). [1]

In addition to Clipper, the adjacent fields produced natural gas to the Clipper facility. [1] [2]

Clipper area fields
FieldBlockDate discoveredReserves, bcm (note 1)Original ownerOwner / operator in 2014
Clipper48/19aMarch 196822.5Shell/ExxonShell
Barque48/13aDecember 196637.3Shell/ExxonShell
Barque South48/13aDecember 19661.0Shell/ExxonShell
Galleon48/14, 48/19a, 48/20aDecember 197540.40Shell/ExxonShell
Cutter49/9aShell/ExxonShell
Carrack49/14b, 49/15a15.0Shell/ExxonShell
Skiff48/20aShell/ExxonShell
Clipper South48/19a198213.4RWE Dea, Fairfield, Bayern GasIneos, Spirit Energy

note 1. Reserves are in billion cubic metres (bcm).

The Clipper, Barque, Galleon, Cutter, Carrack, and Skiff fields are named after sailing vessels.

Clipper South was owned by RWE Dea UK (50%), Fairfield Energy (25%), and Bayern Gas (25%). RWE Dea and Fairfield sold their interests to Ineos in 2015. The field is owned by Ineos and Spirit Energy. [3]

Development

The Clipper field was developed by Shell as a central 3-platform bridge linked complex. [4] Three further bridge-linked platforms were added later. In addition to its own gas, Clipper was designed to be a central hub to receive and process well fluids from the surrounding installations. Processed gas was transmitted by pipeline from Clipper to the Bacton Gas Terminal, Norfolk. The main design parameters of the Clipper area installations are summarized in the table. [4] [5] [1] [2]

Clipper area installations
Installation nameBlockCoordinatesFunctionWater depth, metresTypeProduction to
Clipper PW48/19a53.459167 1.731944Wellhead26Fixed steelBacton via 45 mile 24” pipeline
Clipper PT53.460278 1.732222ProductionFixed steel
Clipper PC53.537633 1.870256CompressionFixed steel
Clipper PMMetering, compressionFixed steel
Clipper PRRisersFixed steel
Clipper PHAccommodation
Barque PB48/13a53.601667 1.526694Wellhead and production22Fixed steelClipper via 15 mile 16” pipeline
Barque PL48/13a53.571743 1.638452Wellhead and production23Fixed steel
Galleon PM48/1953.535667 1.876458Wellhead and production28Fixed steelClipper
Galleon PN48/2053.569622 1.921967Wellhead and production28Fixed steel
Cutter QC49/9a53.695609 2.623801Wellhead and production35Fixed steelCarrack QA
Carrack QA49/1453.579560 2.792291Wellhead and production30Fixed steelClipper
Carrack Manifold49/14b53.706317 2.867689Manifold31SubseaCarrack QA
Carack East WHPS49/15a53.673789 3.027539Wellhead31SubseaCarrack Manifold
Carrack West WHPS49/14b53.743256 2.842561Wellhead29SubseaCarrack Manifold
Skiff PS48/20a53.589292 1.891197Wellhead and production26Fixed steelClipper
Clipper South48/19a53.446309 1.797583Wellhead and productionFixed steelClipper

Gas from Clipper South was originally routed to the ConocoPhillips LOGGS installation thence to Theddlethorpe gas terminal (TGT). When TGT closed in August 2018 a new pipeline was installed to route gas from Clipper South to Clipper. [6]

As part of the Clipper development new pipeline reception facilities and process plant was installed at the Shell terminal at the Bacton gas terminal.

Gas production

Production facilities on the Clipper complex include bulk liquid removal, 5 centrifugal two-stage compression with a capacity of 2 x 200 MMSCFD (million standard cubic feet per day). [4]

Gas production from Clipper and the connected fields is summarised in the table, data includes the peak rate and the cumulative production over the period 1990 to 2014. [5] [1]

Gas Production
NameProduction startPeak flow, mcm/yPeak yearCumulative production to 2014
Clipper19901,109199213,876
Barque19902,244199723,067
Barque South201416
Galleon19941,501199719,887
Cutter200646620082,410
Carrack20031,22020046,262
Skiff20001,33920037,828
Clipper South20125872013385

The production profile, in mcm/y, of the Clipper field was as shown. [5]


The production profile, in mcm/y, of the Barque field was as shown. [5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Department of Trade and Industry (1994). The Energy Report. London: HMSO. pp. 30, 38, 51, 134. ISBN   0115153802.
  2. 1 2 "Inventory of Offshore Installations". odims.ospar.org. Archived from the original on 2021-11-25. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "Clipper South gas field". www.offshore-technolog. Archived from the original on 2012-11-18. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Clipper fact sheet Shell 2021
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Oil and Gas UK – Field data". www.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-10-27. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  6. ↑ "First gas from Clipper South flows to Bacton". www.shell.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2020-09-30. Retrieved 5 December 2021.

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