Gryphon

Gryphon Oil Field Profile

Location and Geology

The Gryphon oil field is located in the North Sea, approximately 201 miles northeast of Aberdeen, UK. It is situated in Quad 9, primarily within block 9/18b, although a small portion extends into blocks 9/18c and 9/18e. The field is in shallow water with a depth of about 112 meters (or 476 feet).

Discovery and Production

The Gryphon field was discovered in 1987, and the first production began in October 1993. The field reached its peak production in 1995, with an output of around 50,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).

Ownership and Operation

The Gryphon field is operated by TotalEnergies E&P North Sea UK Limited. The ownership interests are divided between:

• TotalEnergies E&P North Sea UK Limited: 86.50%
• Sojitz Energy Development Limited: 13.50%.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The field is serviced by the Gryphon Alpha floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) facility. Here are some key details about the FPSO:

• Dimensions: Length - 257.6 meters, Beam - 40.98 meters, Depth - 23.61 meters, Draft - 12.7 to 16.5 meters.
• Displacement: 126,663 tonnes at a draft of 16.5 meters.
• Processing Capabilities: The FPSO is equipped with topsides production facilities that perform conventional separation of gas/oil/water mixtures and compression of gas. It includes two three-phase separators in series and a coalescer for oil separation. The facility can handle maximum capacities of 60,000 bopd, 79,300 barrels of water per day (bwpd), and 47.5 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of gas.

Export and Storage

• Oil Export: The separated oil is cooled, stored in cargo tanks within the FPSO, and exported by shuttle tanker. The storage capacity is 540,000 barrels.
• Gas Export: Gas is compressed and exported via the Leadon pipeline to the Beryl Alpha platform, from where it is transported to shore via the SAGE system. The gas export capacity is approximately 40 mmscf/d.

Subsea Tiebacks

The Gryphon Alpha FPSO also serves as a hub for subsea tiebacks from the Tullich, Maclure, and Ballindalloch developments.

Maintenance and Upgrades

In 2011, the Gryphon FPSO underwent extensive upgrades in dry-dock, and production was restarted in May 2013.

Production Outlook

As of the latest data, the Gryphon field has recovered about 97.57% of its total recoverable reserves. Based on economic assumptions, production is expected to continue until the field reaches its economic limit in 2027.

Services Provided

TotalEnergies offers various services to third-party tie-ins, subject to available capacity and commercial agreements. These services include:

• Accepting hydrocarbons that comply with delivery specifications
• Processing hydrocarbons to required criteria
• Metering, measuring, and allocating hydrocarbons
• Delivering dry gas into the SAGE system via the Leadon pipeline and Beryl Alpha platform
• Exporting stabilized crude by shuttle tanker
• Operating and monitoring fields on behalf of tie-in parties
• Providing technical input and other routine and non-routine services.