Saltire

Location and Geology

The Saltire Area is located approximately 200 kilometres north-east of Aberdeen, Scotland, in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) block 15/17. The area is situated in 145 metres of water depth and is part of the Flotta Catchment Area (FCA) System, connecting through the Piper B installation.

Fields and Infrastructure

The Saltire Area includes several developed fields:

• Saltire Field: Developed via the Saltire A platform.
• Chanter Field: Developed through a subsea production system.
• Iona Field: Developed via platform-based wells drilled from the Saltire A platform.

The infrastructure includes:

• Saltire A Platform: A fixed drilling/production platform located 7 km south-east of the Piper B platform. It was installed in 1992 as part of the Piper Area redevelopment.
• Subsea Saltire Water Injection Development (WID): Associated with the Saltire field.
• Subsea Chanter Production System: Associated with the Chanter field.
• Pipelines and Umbilicals: Connecting these assets to the Piper B platform, including a 40-inch pipeline bundle with various lines for multiphase export, gas lift, and sea water injection.

Production and Export

Prior to the suspension of production in August 2014, oil and gas were exported as follows:

• Oil Export: Through a 10-inch diameter multiphase export line to Piper B, and then via a 30-inch diameter line to the Flotta Terminal facilities in Orkney.
• Gas Export: Initially through a 16-inch diameter gas export line to the St Fergus Gas Terminal, but from 2000 onwards, all gas was used for fuel requirements within the Greater Piper Area.

Decommissioning

Production from the Saltire, Chanter, and Iona fields was suspended in August 2014. Formal approval to cease production was received on November 11, 2016, from the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA). The decommissioning programmes (DPs) for the installations were submitted in compliance with national and international regulations and OPRED guidelines.

The decommissioning involves:

• Removal of Surface Installations: Including the Saltire A platform.
• Removal of Subsea Infrastructure: Wellhead protection units, towheads, towhead protection frames, and flange protection structures.
• Environmental Appraisal and Comparative Assessment: To determine the appropriate removal extent for the subsea infrastructure.

Ownership and Operations

The Saltire Area assets were operated by Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Limited (RSRUK). The decommissioning process involved public, stakeholder, and regulatory consultation to ensure compliance with all relevant guidelines.

In summary, the Saltire oil project is a complex operation involving multiple fields, extensive subsea and surface infrastructure, and a detailed decommissioning plan to ensure environmental and regulatory compliance.