L09-FF

Location

The L9-FF project is situated east of the Nogat pipeline and north of the Wadden Zee, on the Dutch continental shelf.

Project Overview

The project is part of the development of one of the last untouched areas on the Dutch continental shelf. It is managed by NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij), with the aim of exploiting gas reserves in the region.

Platform Design and Construction

Wellhead Platform

• The wellhead platform jacket was designed with an alternative option using skirt piles instead of a conventional jacket with a separate access deck. This design choice was made to reduce offshore installation costs and enhance safety during drilling and installation of the conductors.
• The wellhead platform topsides measure 20x22 meters at the base, with a non-operational weight of 600 tons. The jacket, including piles, weighs 1,000 tons.

Central Production Platform

• The central L9-FF production platform is the largest processing platform in the sector.
• The platform's jacket, wellhead platform topsides, and a 45-meter connecting bridge are being constructed at Grootint in Zwijndrecht.
• The platform's topsides will measure 30x50 meters at the base, with a 44-meter high helideck. The six-legged jacket will weigh 2,000 tons, including the piles.

Modules

• The production platform is composed of three modules:
  • Accommodation module: Designed to be built separately by a specialized contractor.
  • Utilities and control module: Designed in detail by Stork Engineers & Contractors (SE&C) and built by Grootint.
  • Gas treatment installations module: This module will also offer space for a future compression module.

Installation and Start-Up

• The structures are scheduled to be installed in the spring of 1998, with the field expected to start up in June 1998.

Production Capacity

• The production capacity of the L9-FF-01 platform is 16 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d), making it one of the highest capacity single production installations on the Dutch shelf.

Pipeline and Gas Treatment

• A 20 km, 24-inch evacuation pipeline will connect the platform to the Nogat trunkline. The gas treatment process is similar to that of NAM's L15-FA-1 platform, designed by Stork Protech in the early 1990s.

Future Expansion

• The platform is designed to function as a central processing installation for the entire area, with space for adding risers in the future to accommodate satellites or subsea completions. This is expected to increase the overall gas production from the area.

Lifetime and Capacity

• The platform is designed for a total lifetime of 40 years, indicating a long-term commitment to gas production in the region.

Infrastructure Upgrades

• To handle the increased capacity, the Nogat plant in Den Helder will need to be extended to manage an extra 12 million cubic meters per day (MMcm/d).