North Field Alpha

North Field Alpha Oil and Gas Field Profile

Location

The North Field Alpha Oil and Gas Field is located offshore in Qatar, with approximate coordinates of 26.5712, 51.8521 (WGS 84).

Project Details

• Field Name: North Field Alpha Oil and Gas Field, also referred to as Production Station 4 (PS-4).
• Status: Operating.
• Operator: QatarEnergy.
• Owner: QatarEnergy.

Discovery and Development

• Discovery Year: 1971.
• Final Investment Decision (FID) Year: 1987.
• Production Start Year: 1991.

Production

• Gas Production:
  • 7,503.61 million cubic meters per year (2019).
  • 7,865.35 million cubic meters per year (2020).
• Condensate Production:
  • 6.86 million barrels per year (2019).
  • 0.02 million barrels per year (2020).

Infrastructure and Facilities

• The field is part of the North Field Oil and Gas Complex in Qatar and is linked by pipelines to processing facilities at Mesaieed on Qatar's east coast, approximately 40 kilometers south of Doha.
• The gas is processed at the NGL-3 plant at Mesaieed.

Geology and Reserves

• The North Field, which includes North Field Alpha, covers more than 6,000 square kilometers and holds over 900 trillion standard cubic feet (tcf) of recoverable natural gas reserves, equivalent to about 10% of the world's known reserves.

Historical Context

• The project was the first development on Qatar's North Field and took four years to complete after the FID in 1987. Production started in September 1991 and reached full capacity within 18 months.

Current Expansion Context

• The North Field Alpha is part of a larger complex that is undergoing significant expansion. The North Field East (NFE) project, for example, aims to increase Qatar's LNG production capacity by 43% from 77 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 110 Mtpa.

Economic and Operational Aspects

• QatarEnergy has formed joint ventures with several international companies, including TotalEnergies, Eni, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, and Shell, for the broader North Field expansion projects. QatarEnergy holds a 75% interest in each joint venture, with the partners holding the remaining 25% (or 12.5% in some cases).

Additional Data

For more detailed data, including an interactive map of oil and gas extraction sites, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, you can visit the Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.

Key Issues and Future Developments

• The North Field expansion projects, including the North Field East (NFE) project, are expected to significantly increase Qatar's LNG production capacity. First gas from the NFE project is anticipated by 2025.
• The development includes the installation of new LNG trains, wellhead platforms, and extensive pipeline infrastructure to support the increased production.