29 / 40
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.”
Efficient execution of a
future production hub
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
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
2019
2032
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.
Peak production of
60,000 to 90,000 barrels
of oil equivalent per day
anticipated, satisfying five
per cent of UK gas demand.
Hook-up and
commissioning
continues. Field
planned to come
on-stream.
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.
2018
2020
to 2021
and beyond...
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
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.
“
”
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