Neptune submits decommissioning plans for two Southern North Sea fields

Oil and gas company Neptune Energy has submitted its draft decommissioning programs for two fields located in the Southern North Sea to the UK authorities. 

Neptune submitted its consultation drafts for the Juliet and Minke fields to the UK’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The documents contain the decommissioning programs for the Juliet field subsea installations and pipelines and Minke field subsea installations and pipelines.

Juliet

The Juliet field is located in Block 47/14b of the UK Southern North Sea some 40km due east from the Humberside estuary and approximately 9km to the south of the Amethyst gas field. Juliet was discovered in December 2008 with well 47/14b-10 and subsequently developed by a two-well subsea tieback in a water depth of 55m to the Pickerill A facilities.

The Juliet field came into production in January 2014 from 47/14b-G1. The well 47/14b-G2 came into production in March 2014. Cessation of Production was submitted to the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) in July 2018.

According to the plan, the Juliet manifold and wellhead protection structure will be fully recovered to shore for re-use/recycling. The trenched and buried pipeline and umbilical will be decommissioned in situ. Surface laid sections of pipeline and umbilical such as tie in spools and control jumpers will be recovered to shore for re-use/recycling. Exposed mattresses and grout bags will be recovered to shore for re-use/recycling. Wells will be plugged and abandoned.

Minke

The Minke field is located in the Southern Basin of the UKCS in Block 44/24a and lies about 184 km from the Norfolk coastline and 15km south-west of the D15-FA platform, operated by Neptune Energy Netherlands BV, located in the Dutch sector. The field is produced via a single subsea horizontal well tied back by an approximately 15km 8” diameter production pipeline to a riser at the D15-FA platform. Minke Main began production in June 2007.

The well and 3.7km of the pipelines are within the UK sector, the D15-FA platform and remaining 11.2km of the pipeline are located in the Dutch sector, block D15. The Minke field Cessation of Production was granted in 2016 by the OGA.

The plan entails for the Minke wellhead protection structure to be removed and recovered to shore for re-use/recycling. The trenched and buried pipeline and umbilical will be decommissioned in situ. Small surface laid sections of pipeline and all exposed mattresses and grout bags will be recovered to shore for reuse/recycling. Wells will be plugged and abandoned.

Offshore Energy Today Staff