Brae-South

Location

The Brae Area is situated approximately 170 miles (about 274 kilometers) northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland, at a water depth of around 110 meters.

Fields and Infrastructure

The Brae Area encompasses several fields, including:

• Brae Alpha: Commenced production in 1983.
• Brae Bravo: Started production in 1988 and reached Cessation of Production (CoP) in 2018.
• East Brae: Began production in December 1993, with native wells reaching CoP in June 2024.
• Braemar: A subsea tieback to East Brae, started production in September 2003, with CoP expected in early 2025.
• Central and West Brae/Sedgwick: Subsea tiebacks to Brae Alpha, commenced production in 1989 and 1997, respectively.

Platforms and Installations

The area is supported by several fixed jacket platforms:

• Brae Alpha: The main platform in the area.
• Brae Bravo: Upper jacket and topsides were removed in 2021 as part of decommissioning.
• East Brae: Consists of modular topsides and a steel jacket/sub-structure, with the topsides weighing 20,000 tonnes.

Production and Export

• Production Type: The Brae fields produce oil, gas, and condensate.
• Export Routes: Liquids are exported via the Ineos-operated Forties Pipeline, while gas is transported through the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) pipeline to St Fergus.

Decommissioning

• Brae Bravo: The main platform, flare sub-structure, and tower were removed in 2021. The upper jacket decommissioning is ongoing, managed by TAQA Bratani Limited.
• East Brae and Braemar: Decommissioning programs are in place, with RockRose UKCS8 LLC initially managing the process. Production has become sub-economical, and other hydrocarbon opportunities were deemed unviable.

Adjacent Facilities

The area includes several adjacent facilities and pipelines:

• Brae Alpha to Birch Pipelines: Various gas lift, water injection, and service pipelines operated by Spirit Energy North Sea Oil Limited.
• SAGE Pipeline: A 30” gas export pipeline connecting to East Brae via the SAGE Subsea Wye structure.
• Kingfisher Subsea Manifold and Wells: Located nearby, though decommissioned.

Operational History and Future

• Brae Alpha: Expected to reach CoP in early 2027.
• Braemar: Expected to reach CoP in early 2025.
• Extended Life: The operators have extended the life of the Brae fields beyond initial projections, but no viable hydrocarbon opportunities remain to prolong production further.