Alba

Profile for the Alba Oil Field Project

Location and Geography

• The Alba oil field is located in the UK sector of the Northern North Sea, approximately 210 km (or 130 miles) north-east of Aberdeen, in Block 16/26a (Licence No P.213).

Discovery and Production

• The Alba field was discovered in 1984 by Chevron.
• Production began in January 1994, with the first oil achieved in December 1993.

Field Characteristics

• The Alba field is a heavy oil field, characterized by its late Eocene reservoir at a depth of approximately 6,200 feet and a water depth of about 460 feet (or 138 meters).
• The oil produced is heavy and high in sulfur, with an API gravity of 19.4° and a sulfur level of 1.24 mass%.

Reserves and Production Volume

• Estimated total oil-in-place reserves are approximately one billion barrels, with recoverable reserves of around 400 million barrels.
• The production volume has been consistent, with a design rate increased to 100,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) during Phase IIA of the development.

Development Phases

• Phase I: Involved the installation of a fixed steel platform, the Alba Northern Platform (ANP), which includes integrated production, drilling, and living quarters. This phase developed the northern sector of the field.
• Phase II: Divided into two stages:
  • Phase IIA: Increased production capacity from 75,000 bopd to 100,000 bopd, completed in October 1996.
  • Phase IIB: Focused on increasing gross fluid handling capacity to a maximum of 390,000 bopd. This phase included the installation of a subsea water-injection facility and additional processing equipment on the platform.

Infrastructure

• Alba Northern Platform: A fixed steel platform with 31 slots, including 25 platform producers and 6 water injectors. Additional wells were drilled from a subsea template in the south of the field.
• Floating Storage Unit (FSU): A 125,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt) vessel built to store crude oil. It has a capacity of 825,000 barrels and is secured by a turret mooring system. The FSU is connected to the platform via a 12-inch pipeline and serves as a storage unit for oil before it is loaded into shuttle tankers.
• Subsea Facilities: Include a subsea production manifold, a five-kilometer pipeline bundle, and subsea water-injection wells. The Alba Extreme South project involved significant subsea developments to enhance production.

Partners and Operators

• The operator of the Alba field is Chevron.
• Partners include Endeavour, Total, and other companies that have held varying interests over the years. Notable changes include Statoil acquiring a stake in 1997, Endeavour increasing its stake in 2012, and BP selling its interest to Mitsui in 2012.

Contractors and Service Providers

• Highlands Fabricators: Involved in platform construction.
• BiFab: Provided living quarters, helideck, coalescer/de-gasser module, subsea drilling template, and other components.
• Saipem: Responsible for the Alba Northern Platform, transport, and installation.
• Wood Group: Awarded contracts for engineering, construction, operations, and maintenance services for the platforms.

Production and Export

• Oil is transported from the platform to the FSU via a pipeline and then loaded into shuttle tankers for export to customers in North West Europe.
• Gas produced from the field is exported to the Britannia field.

Environmental and Safety Features

• The FSU is designed with safety features such as accommodation for 58 people, though the normal crew is 20. It also includes a temporary safe refuge as required by UK safety rules.
• The platform and FSU are equipped with various environmental protection measures, including produced water treatment facilities to achieve a target of 30 parts per million (ppm) oil in water.

Historical Milestones

• 1984: Discovery of the Alba field by Chevron.
• 1991: Project development approved by the UK Government.
• 1993: First oil achieved in December.
• 1997: Alba Phase II project launched.
• 2002: First oil achieved from the Alba Extreme South project.
• 2012: Endeavour completed the acquisition of a significant stake in the field, and BP sold its interest to Mitsui.

The Alba oil field project is a significant development in the UK North Sea, characterized by its complex infrastructure, heavy oil production, and multiple phases of development to optimize reserves recovery.