Curlew Gas and Condensate Field

Summary Information

• Operator: Shell
• Country: UK
• Location: North Sea
• Production start: 1997
• Partners:
• Type: Oil / Gas
• Estimated Reserves:
• Production Volume: No longer producing

Description

• The Curlew cluster is located in Block 29/7 of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS) in the central North Sea. It is situated 197 km SE of Aberdeen.
• The Curlew development is a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) Maersk Curlew FPSO, located over the Curlew reservoir.
• The FPSO has equipment for oil and gas processing, storage and offloading, gas processing and export and treatment of produced water. Oil from the Curlew FPSO is exported onshore via shuttle tanker, while gas is exported from the Curlew FPSO to the SEGAL St Fergus Gas Processing Terminal via the Fulmar Gas Pipeline
• There are 3 subsea tie-backs to the Curlew FPSO:
  • Curlew B field produced from a single well;
  • Curlew C field produces from a single well (re-uses the original Kyle dynamic riser) with gas lift and associated subsea structures;
  • Curlew D field produces via two production lines from four wells tied back to a production manifold together and associated subsea structures;
• The Kyle Oil Field was tied to the FPSO back until 2005, but is currently physically disconnected and was connected instead to the Petrojarl Banff FPSO

Contractors

• A&P Tyne: Construction of hull
• AMEC:
  • Construction of Topsides
  • FEED for for modifications to Maersk’s Curlew FPSO
• KWSubsea: Curlew C Development - Detailed design of 6km 8" production pipeline, 3" gas lift piggyback system, tie-in spoolpiece, control umbilical and pliant wave tether base
• J P Kenny: Design and supply of tee assembly for new well

History

• 1996 - Project development approved by UK Government
• 1997 - First oil
• 2007 - Project development approved by UK Government for Curlew C
• 2007 - Curlew B was shut down
• 2008 - Curlew C began production
• 2010 - AMEC awarded FEED for for modifications to the FPSO
• 2013 - Shell acquired the FPSO
• 2016 - Shell submitted request for cessation of production
• 2018 - Shell submitted a plan for decommissioning
• 2019 - Production ceased
• 2019 - Approval granted for decommissioning

Links

1. 2013 Annual Environmental Statement for Shell U.K
2. UK Oil and Gas Fields by Approval Date
3. List Of Oil Production Platforms In The UK
4. UK Oil and Gas Field Approved Decommissioning Programmes
5. KWSubsea Subsea References
6. J P Kenny Subsea References
7. Kyle Field Update
8. AMEC awarded FEED for Maersk’s Curlew FPSO
9. Curlew Decommissioning