Clipper South

Clipper South Gas Field Profile

Location and Geography

• The Clipper South Gas Field is located in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) of the southern North Sea, specifically in blocks 48/19 and 48/20.
• It is situated approximately 100 km east of the Lincolnshire coast.
• The field operates in water depths ranging from 22 to 26 meters.

Discovery and History

• The Clipper South gas field was discovered by Shell in 1982 through the well 48/19a-3.
• Appraisal wells were drilled in 1992 to further assess the field.
• In 2008, Fairfield Energy acquired the Clipper South field from Shell and ExxonMobil. RWE Dea farmed into the development in 2009.
• The development plan was approved by the UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in March 2011. The platform was installed in August 2011, and development drilling began in February 2012.

Ownership and Operation

• Initially, RWE Dea UK owned a 50% equity share, while Fairfield Energy and Bayerngas each held 25%.
• In 2015, Ineos acquired the shares from RWE Dea and Fairfield, giving Ineos a 75% ownership. The field is now operated by Ineos, with Spirit Energy holding the remaining stake. The field is remotely operated by Shell.

Geology

• The gas reservoir is located in tight Permian-age sandstones belonging to the Rotliegend group. The source of the dry gas is the Carboniferous coal measures underneath the sandstones.

Production Details

• The field was developed through the drilling of five horizontal wells, each with multiple hydraulic fractures. The wells range in depth from 3,876 meters to 5,866 meters.
• Gas production began in August 2012, with an initial rate of 1.2 million cubic meters per day.
• As of 2023, the Clipper South platform has produced over 200 billion cubic feet of gas since its start of production.
• The estimated reserves of the field are approximately 13.4 billion cubic meters of gas, with an estimated production life of 15 years.

Infrastructure and Transportation

• The field is developed through a single manned, small steel platform. The Carrack Gas Field is tied back to the Clipper platform.
• Gas from the Clipper South field is transported via a 15.5 km, 12-inch production line and a 3-inch methanol piggyback line to the Lincolnshire Offshore Gas Gathering System (LOGGS) platform. Following the shutdown of the Theddlethorpe gas terminal in 2018, a new subsea pipeline and infrastructure were installed to reroute production to the Clipper hub and then to Shell’s Bacton terminal in Norfolk, where it is fed into the UK National Grid.

Contractors and Development

• Key contractors involved in the development include:
  • Heerema: Construction of the jacket, topsides, and piles.
  • Seaway Heavy Lifting: Transport and installation of the platform deck, jacket, and piles.
  • Technip: Project management, detailed pipeline design, installation, and tie-in of the production lines.
  • Subsea 7: PT Jacket & Scour Rectification.
  • FoundOcean: Grouting for PT Jacket & Scour Rectification.

Current Status and Future

• The field continues to produce gas, with an estimated cessation of production (COP) date around 2028/29.
• Ineos has highlighted the field's low carbon intensity and outstanding safety record, noting that the produced gas directly meets the needs of UK customers through the national grid.

Financial and Operational Investments

• In 2018, a £62 million project was completed to re-route gas from the Clipper South field following the closure of the Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal. This included the installation of new subsea infrastructure and processing equipment.