Clair Phase 2

Clair Phase 2 Oil and Gas Field (Clair Ridge Project)

Location

The Clair Phase 2 oil and gas field, also known as the Clair Ridge Project, is located approximately 75 kilometers west of the Shetland Islands in the North Sea, UK. It is situated in water depths of about 140 meters (460 feet).

Discovery and Development

The Clair field was originally discovered in 1977. The second phase of development, Clair Phase 2 or Clair Ridge, was sanctioned by the UK Government in October 2011.

Project Details

• Operator: BP Exploration Operating Company
• Partners: BP (45.1%), ConocoPhillips (7.5%), Chevron North Sea (19.42%), and Shell UK Limited (28%).
• Investment: The project involved an investment of £4.5 billion ($5.7 billion or approximately $10 billion including all phases).

Infrastructure

• The project includes the installation of two bridge-linked platforms: a drilling and production (DP) platform and a quarters and utilities (QU) platform. The DP platform and QU platform have steel jackets weighing 22,300 tons and 9,000 tons, respectively. The topsides were installed in 2015.
• The platforms are connected by a bridge and are designed to operate for over 40 years.

Drilling and Production

• The project involves the drilling of 36 wells, including 26 producing wells and 10 water injectors. Initial drilling works included pre-drilling seven wells using an eight-slot subsea template. The remaining wells are drilled by the DP platform.
• The project is expected to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) and 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The estimated recoverable reserves are around 640 million barrels of oil.

Export Facilities

• The produced oil is exported to the Sullom Voe Terminal (SVT) via a new 5.5 km-long and 2.2-inch diameter pipeline connected to the existing Clair Phase 1 oil export pipeline.
• The produced gas is exported to the SVT via a new 14.6 km-long and 6-inch diameter pipeline connected to the west of the Shetland pipeline system.

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)

• Clair Ridge is the first large-scale project to implement BP’s patented LoSal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) system. This technology alters the salinity of water injected into the reservoirs to increase oil recovery, expected to result in more than 40 million additional barrels being recovered over the field's lifetime.

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Considerations

• The platforms are powered by dual-fuel power generators and fitted with waste heat recovery systems. A vapour recovery system captures and recovers low-pressure gas for further use as fuel or for export to shore.

Contractors and Suppliers

• Platform Jackets: Constructed by Kvaerner and installed by Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) with assistance from Acteon.
• Topsides: Constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries under a $620 million contract.
• Export Pipelines: Subsea 7 was contracted for the engineering, procurement, fabrication, and installation of the export pipelines and associated structures.
• Other Contractors: AMEC provided engineering and project management services, KCA DEUTAG designed the drilling facilities, and Nexans supplied the cables for the platforms.

Production Timeline

• First Oil: Achieved in November 2018.
• Production Life: Expected to extend beyond 2050, significantly extending the life of the Clair field.

Surveillance and Security

• Synectics designed and delivered an end-to-end surveillance solution for the project, including IP-based systems and CCTV cameras for safety and security monitoring.

This project is a significant development in the UK's oil and gas sector, leveraging advanced technologies to maximize oil recovery and ensure long-term production.