WIRELINE Issue 34 Winter 2015-2016

CULZEAN

OPERATIONS

L-R: Project director Martin Urquhart and development manager Andy Chalmers believe high-pressure, high-temperature projects such as Culzean could be a significant growth area for the UK industry

Efficient execution of a future production hub Specific disciplines aren’t making decisions in isolation and imposing those on the project – it’s a collaborative process. When people are brought together from all functions and the impact of decisions is universally understood, that can make a crucial difference to efficiency. “ ”

Hartlepool yard, which will fabricate six pile sleeve clusters and the wellhead access deck, supporting 250 jobs in the local community. Meanwhile, topsides contractor Sembcorp has sub-let several fabrication activities for the project to its subsidiary in Lowestoft, and drilling waste and environmental services firm TWMA has been carrying out research and development for handling the drilling waste requirements. Many of the HPHT valves and fittings are manufactured in the UK, along with critical turbomachinery components, vessels and pumps. Martin believes that the £2.1 billion to be spent on operating costs once the field comes on-stream “will be just as significant,” for UK suppliers. “As we source everything from helicopter transportation, warehousing, logistics to catering, we will do that locally. There’s a sustainable, long-term benefit for the UK in that regard.”

on the project – it’s a collaborative process,” explains Martin. “When people are brought together from all functions and the impact of decisions is universally understood, that can make a crucial difference to efficiency.” The team is also using various advanced visualisation computer-aided design tools to create an on-screen replica of the offshore infrastructure under construction, as well as a highly detailed

Today, Maersk Oil has a dedicated team of around 100 professionals in Aberdeen working on Culzean. In light of the need to reduce the high operating costs on the UKCS, the team is mindful that the project must be executed as efficiently as possible. “Specific disciplines aren’t making decisions in isolation and imposing those

2020 to 2021

2032

2018

2019

and beyond...

The field is expected to be producing for at least 13 years. The infrastructure could also be a future hub to maximise production potential from the wider Culzean cluster area.

Hook-up and commissioning continues. Field planned to come on-stream.

Peak production of 60,000 to 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day anticipated, satisfying five per cent of UK gas demand.

Topsides in place, power generation and gas compression modules installed on the central processing facility, and flare installed. Topsides are connected by bridges and the floating storage and offloading vessel is towed to location and moored. Hook-up operations commence.

W I R E L I N E - I S S U E 3 4 W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6

2 9