The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
First oil flows from refreshed Montrose Area in North Sea
Repsol Sinopec has reported that first oil has begun to flow from its flagship North Sea development.
The Montrose Area Redevelopment (MAR) could unlock up to 100 million barrels of oil and extend the life of existing fields in the area to beyond 2030.
The MAR project incorporates the development of three new fields – Godwin, Cayley and Shaw.
First oil has now flowed from the Shaw field in the central North Sea, 200km east of Aberdeen
The operator’s managing director Bill Dunnett hailed the milestone as a major achievement.
“The Montrose Area is a key part of our long-term future and we look forward to it safely delivering value for us, our shareholders and our partner Marubeni for many years to come,” Mr Dunnett said.
A new bridge-linked production platform connects to one of the oldest platforms in the North Sea, the Montrose Alpha, providing additional processing and plant support facilities.
The Godwin field has been developed via an extended reach well from the Arbroath platform.
The Cayley and Shaw fields have been developed as subsea tie-backs to the bridge linked platform
Shaw production will be followed by the Cayley coming onstream by the end of the second quarter of the year.
Gross incremental production is expected to peak at up to 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day.
In addition to developing the new fields, the MAR project is expected to extend the life of the existing Montrose Area fields to beyond 2030.
Montrose Alpha was originally commissioned in 1976.
Andy Samuel, chief executive of the Oil and Gas Authority, said: “First oil from Repsol Sinopec Resources and Marubeni’s Montrose Area Redevelopment project epitomises the additional value that can be achieved by integrating new and existing infrastructure to unlock significant resources from fields across the UK Continental Shelf.
“The investment in the new bridge linked platform will substantially increase the life of the Montrose Area fields with the construction stage supporting many jobs in the supply chain, including the construction of the jacket on Tyneside.
“Successful delivery of major capital projects brings significant benefits to the UK and has a vital part to play in maximising economic recovery.”
Repsol Sinopec Resources UK Ltd is the operator of the development with a working interest of 58.97%.
Marubeni Oil & Gas (UK) Limited is the sole partner.