Arbroath

Discovery and Production History

• The Arbroath field was discovered in 1969 by Amoco.
• Despite its early discovery, the field did not begin production until 1991. This delay was likely due to the focus on other nearby fields and the need for further development and infrastructure.

Location and Geology

• The Arbroath field is located in blocks 22/17 and 22/18 of the North Sea, approximately 209 kilometers east of Aberdeen.
• The hydrocarbons at Arbroath are found in the Kimmeridge Clay Formation within the Palaeocene Forties sandstone and in mudstones of the Sele Formation. The reservoir is part of the Palaeocene Forties Formation, similar to the Montrose field.

Development and Infrastructure

• The Arbroath field was initially developed with its own drilling and production platform. Over the years, this platform has been integrated into a larger network that includes the Montrose Alpha platform and other nearby fields such as Arkwright, Brechin, Carnoustie, and Wood.
• In 1990, Amoco modified the Montrose Alpha platform’s processing equipment to include the reception of oil from the Arbroath field. This integration allowed for more efficient processing and transportation of the oil.

MonArb Area Redevelopment Project (MAR)

• The Arbroath field is a key part of the MAR project, which aims to extend the life expectancy of the existing fields and develop new ones. The project involves Talisman Energy (51%) and Sinopec (49%) and was approved by the UK Government in October 2012.
• As part of the MAR project, the Arbroath field will benefit from new infrastructure, including a bridge-linked platform (BLP) connected to the Montrose Alpha platform. This will enhance production efficiency and allow for better reservoir management.

Production and Reservoir Management

• The Arbroath reservoir, like Montrose, is a domed structure with poor permeability in some areas and a high shale content. Water injection to improve reservoir sweep has been in place since 1978 for Montrose, and similar techniques are likely applied to Arbroath to optimize oil recovery.
• The MAR project includes plans for infill drilling and enhanced oil recovery techniques to boost production from the Arbroath field, although specific details on the current status of these operations are tied to the broader MAR project activities.

Contractors and Investments

• The MAR project, which includes the redevelopment of Arbroath, involves several major contractors. These include Subsea 7 for subsea development works, Transocean for drilling services, Offshore Group Newcastle (OGN) for jacket fabrication, and AMEC for structural upgrades and topsides construction.
• The project has a significant investment, with a brown field allowance (BFA) of £1.6 billion ($2.4 billion) and is expected to create up to 2,000 jobs.

Export and Transportation

• Oil from the Arbroath field is exported using an existing flowline into BP’s Forties Pipeline system and further to the Cruden Bay Pipeline. Gas is transported through a new riser into the existing WAGE (Wood And Gas Export) module at the Montrose Platform, which is tied into BP’s Central Area Transmission System (CATS) that runs to Teesside.

In summary, the Arbroath oil field is an integral part of the MonArb Area Redevelopment Project, benefiting from new infrastructure, enhanced production techniques, and integrated reservoir management to extend its production life and optimize oil recovery.