Auk oilfield
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| Auk oilfield | |
|---|---|
  Location of Auk oilfield | |
| Country | Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Location | North Sea |
| Block | 30/16 |
| Offshore/onshore | offshore |
| Coordinates | 56°24′00″N 02°04′00″E / 56.40000°N 2.06667°E |
| Operator | Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Ltd |
| Field history | |
| Discovery | October 1970 |
| Start of production | 1975 |
| Production | |
| Estimated oil in place | 88.5 million barrels (~1.21×107 t) |
The Auk Oilfield is situated 249 kilometres (155 mi) east, southeast of Aberdeen, Scotland, in block number 30/16.
Reservoir
[edit]It was discovered in October 1970 in a water depth of 182 metres. The oil reservoir is a Rotliegendes sandstone overlaid with Zechstein carbonates and ls located at a depth of 2,316 metres (7,598 ft).[1] Estimated ultimate recovery is 88.5 million barrels (14.07×106 m3) of oil. The oil has an API gravity of 38 degrees and a gas-oil-ratio of 155 scf/bbl.
Infrastructure
[edit]The Auk 'A' platform was a steel, 8 legged jacket designed by Shell Oil and constructed at Methil, Fife, Scotland. The jacket weighs 3,414 tonnes, it was installed in July 1974 and supported a topside weight of around 8,000 tonnes.
Operator
[edit]It was operated by Shell UK Exploration and Production Ltd, in 50% partnership with Esso until October 2006 when it was bought by Talisman Energy, and is now licensed by Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Ltd.[2]
The field is named after the Auk a family of sea birds. Myles Bowen, Shell's Exploration Manager in 1970, had a keen interest in ornithology and began the naming convention of birds.[3] There is an (entirely fanciful) legend that it was to be called A UK, as the first British oilfield, until somebody realised that the sixth field would be called F UK and Shell's policy was rapidly changed to name their fields after sea birds. Shells sixth UK oilfield is called Fulmar.
Production
[edit]Production started in December 1975 from the Auk 'A' platform.
The topsides facilities included capability to drill, produce meter and pump oil. There were 10 well slots with 6 initially drilled. The plant has a capacity of 80,000 barrels of oil per day, Production start up was in December 1975.[1] Initially production was to an ELSBM and then to the Fulmar Alpha platform in August 1986.The Exposed Location Single Buoy Mooring (ELSBM) has a height of 74 metres and stands in a water depth of 86 metres. It comprises a helideck, a mooring trunk, a mooring rope reel turntable buoyancy compartments and a ballast compartment. It is anchored to the seabed by eight 13.5 tonne anchors and 600 metre chains. It is supplied with oil through two 10 inch diameter hoses.[1]
Associated gas from the reservoir was separated and used to power electrical generation with the excess being flared.
Oil production (in thousands of barrels) was as follows:[1]
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Oilfield Publications Limited (1985). The North Sea Platform Guide. Ledbury: Oilfield Publications Limited. pp. 25–30.
- ^ "About Auk". Repsol Resources UK. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ "Oil and gas field names in the North Sea" (PDF).