East Brae

East Brae Oil and Gas Field Profile

Location

The East Brae Oil and Gas Field is located offshore in the United Kingdom, specifically within the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) in Block 16/3a and 16/3b. It is approximately 280 kilometers northeast of Aberdeen, at a water depth of about 116 meters.

Geology and Reservoirs

The field is part of the Brae complex, situated along the western margin of the South Viking Graben in Quadrant 16. The reservoirs are primarily composed of Late Jurassic submarine fan conglomerates and sandstones formed during the extensional phase of the graben.

Discovery and Development

• The discovery of the Brae area fields began in the early 1970s with 2-D seismic surveys identifying structures beneath the Base Cretaceous unconformity.
• The first well in the area was Shell’s 16/8-1 in 1972, which found hydrocarbons in interbedded sandstones and shales.
• The East Brae field itself was discovered in the context of the broader Brae area developments, with significant discoveries in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
• Production from the East Brae platform commenced in December 1993.

Production Details

• Production Start: December 1993.
• Production Types: The field produces both gas and condensate, with minimal oil production.
  • In 2019, the field produced 231.45 million m³ of gas and 0.16 million barrels of oil per year.
  • In 2022, production was 143.47 million m³ of gas and 0.06 million barrels of oil per year.
• Export: Liquids are exported via the Ineos-operated Forties Pipeline, and gas is transported via the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) pipeline to St Fergus.

Infrastructure

• Platform: The East Brae platform consists of modular topsides and a steel jacket/sub-structure. The topsides weigh approximately 20,000 tonnes, and the jacket/sub-structure is a four-legged, 136-meter tall fabricated steel structure weighing 10,577 tonnes.
• Tiebacks: The Braemar field is tied back to the East Brae platform via subsea installations.

Operators and Ownership

• Original Operator: Marathon Oil originally installed and operated the East Brae platform.
• Current Operator: The operatorship has been transferred through RockRose Energy to the current operator, TAQA Europa B.V..
• Ownership: The field is owned by a consortium including TAQA Bratani Limited, RockRose UKCS8 LLC, Spirit Energy Resources Limited, JX Nippon Exploration and Production (U.K.) Limited, and others.

Decommissioning

• Cessation of Production (CoP): The native wells at East Brae reached a CoP in June 2024. The Braemar field is expected to reach CoP in early 2025, and Brae Alpha is expected to reach CoP in early 2027.
• Decommissioning Plan: The decommissioning programme for the East Brae platform and associated infrastructure is ongoing, with plans to remove the topsides, upper jacket, and associated risers. The programme is being managed by TAQA on behalf of the Section 29 Notice holders under the Petroleum Act.

Additional Information

• Life Extension: The life of the East Brae and Braemar fields was extended beyond initial projections by RockRose UKCS8 LLC, but no further viable hydrocarbon opportunities were identified to prolong the life of the installation.
• Environmental and Regulatory Compliance: The decommissioning programmes are submitted in full compliance with OPRED guidelines and include environmental statements and stakeholder consultations.