BP gets ‘OK’ for Alligin field development

UK oil major BP has received the UK authorities’ nod to proceed with development of the Alligin field west of Shetland.

According to BP, the field will target 20 million barrels of oil equivalent and is expected to produce 12,000 barrels gross of oil equivalent a day at peak.

Alligin is located 140 kilometers west of Shetland in a water depth of 475 meters. It forms part of the Greater Schiehallion Area.

The Alligin development will consist of two wells, which will be tied-back into the existing Schiehallion and Loyal subsea infrastructure, using the processing and export facilities of the Glen Lyon floating, production storage, offload (FPSO) vessel. It is expected to come on stream in 2020.

BP has said that the wells would be drilled using Odfjel Drilling’s Deepsea Aberdeen semi-submersible drilling rig.

BP North Sea Regional President Ariel Flores said: “Alligin is part of our advantaged oil story, rescuing stranded reserves and tying them back into existing infrastructure. Developments like this, have shorter project cycles, allowing us to bring on new production quicker. These subsea tiebacks complement our major start-ups and underpin BP’s commitment to the North Sea.”

Brenda Wyllie, West of Shetland and Northern North Sea Area Manager at the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), a body which gave the approval, said: “The Oil and Gas Authority is pleased to consent to the development of the Alligin field. This fast-tracked project will maximize economic recovery through utilizing capacity in the Glen Lyon FPSO and is a good example of the competitive advantage available to operators from the extensive infrastructure installed in the UKCS.”

BP owns a 50 percent stake in the Alligin field, with its partner Shell holding the remaining 50 percent.