Project Profile
Value US$4.3 billion (Apache\'s investment between 2003-2013)
Location: 177 km offshore Aberdeen, Block 21/10, North Sea, UK
Area: 91 sq km
Water Depth: 106m
Proven Reserves: 174 million barrels (2011)
Peak Production: 500,000 bpd (1979)
Average production: 60,000 bpd
Discovery year: 1970
Commercial start-up: 1975
In October 1970, BP hit commercial oil in Forties discovery containing an estimated 1.8 billion barrels of oil. The field initially comprises of four steel fixed platforms
Alpha (formerly Graythorp I )
Bravo (formerly Graythorp II)
Charlie (formerly Highland I)
Delta (formerly Highland II)
Alpha and Charlie jackets were positioned offshore in 1974 while Bravo and Delta were installed the following year. Charlie platform acts as the central hub and gathering platform for all production. First oil from the field was announced in September 1975, flowing through the Forties Pipeline System to Cruden Bay.
The fifth platform Echo, which is connected to Alpha, was added to the southeast area of the Forties Field in 1986. By 1989, Forties reached its 2 billionth barrel of oil. Forties Artificial Lift Project (FALP) began in the same year. It was first applied on Forties Alpha and Forties Delta at the end of 1991.
Apache\'s Era
In 2003 Apache bought 97% interest from BP for US$683 million. At the time of the acquisition, the Forties Field had only 45 producing wells out of the 130-well system in its earlier days. Apache carried out an extensive upgrade workover programme which extended the field\'s life with 20 years, postponing the decommissioning phase which was once anticipated to start in 2013.
Some of Apache\'s work includes: drilling of 12 new wells, platform repairs and maintenance, 3-D seismic surveys, 4-D reservoir monitoring, new power-generation and gas ring main, water-injection system upgrade, replacement of Charlie\'s import header and Bravo\'s infield pipeline. The company invested US$198 million in new equipment and facilities upgrades since it took over operatorship.
Operators:
Apache: Operator with 97% interest (acquired interest in 2003)
BP: 3% interest
Contractors:
Laing Offshore: Construction of Alpha and Bravo platforms
Highland Fabricators (HiFab): Construction of Charlie and Delta platforms
Altra Energy (acquired by Apply Sørco): FEED for new satellite production
Alderley Systems: design and deliver a processing system
AMEC: project management, engineering and procurement
DNV GL: offers a range of verification services to Apache, including risk-based verification
DOF Subsea: provide integrated subsea construction services
Entier Limited: Provide catering and facilities management services
Expro: Providing wireline services
EnerMech Ltd: Supply and install four new Blow Out Prevent handling cranes and supply rigging lofts
Flexlife: On-going Integrity Management
JP Kenny: Subsea engineering service contract
Kanfa: Delivery of three Gas Dehydration Systems
Mustang: Pre FEED / Preliminary Design & Engineering
OGN: New satellite platform
Petrofac: Onshore Engineering and Ad-Hoc Offshore Construction Services
RBG: Construction
SLP: FEED for a new satellite production platform
Wood Group: O&M contract and in 2014 a five-year contract worth an estimated US$750m from BP, which will be effective from January 2015, to deliver engineering, procurement and construction services
Wood Group: master service agreement (MSA) to continue to deliver subsea engineering and consultancy services. The contract includes two one-year extension options. Wood Group has held this service agreement with Apache since 2012. (July, 2016)
Stork: Three year contract extension with two one-year extension options to provide Apache a full range of integrated Fabric Maintenance support services including: scaffolding, insulation, coatings, passive fire protection, deck support, environmental and decontamination and rope access. This reinforces the strength of Stork’s services portfolio delivering a fully integrated asset optimisation approach across Apache’s Forties field and onshore SAGE Terminal at St. Fergus. The initial contract was awarded to Stork in 2009 and has now been extended until 2017.
Amec Foster Wheeler: Contract by BP to provide operations, maintenance and project support for the Forties Pipeline System (which includes the Unity offshore platform and onshore pumping stations in Aberdeenshire and Perthshire) and the Central Area Transmission System terminal in Teesside, north-east England. The contract, worth over US$74 million, will run until January 2020 and will be managed from Amec Foster Wheeler’s Aberdeen offices. The contract secures 90 jobs, including two apprenticeships (currently based at the CATS terminal).
Cape plc: A two-year offshore contract in the North Sea with an estimated value of US$152.9m. Cape will supply scaffolding, industrial cleaning, insulation and fire protection facilities to BP in the North Sea. Cape will supply a range of different services to six BP assets in the North Sea, including its 100 per cent owned Forties Pipeline System. Supplying scaffolding, industrial cleaning, insulation and fire protection facilities to oil and gas operators, the contract would secure around 500 jobs for Cape.
Bilfinger: Framework agreement with BP, valued at US$153.3 million for further three years. The contract covers maintenance services at two of its largest midstream oil and gas terminals in Scotland – Forties Pipeline System (FPS), Grangemouth and Sullom Voe Terminal (SVT), Shetland. The agreement covers scaffolding, insulation, corrosion protection and fire-proofing. (December, 2015)
Bibby Offshore: Bibby Offshore, won a substantial contract win with Apache North Sea to provide subsea construction, ROV and diving services at the largest oil field in the North Sea. The contract, due to begin this month, will utilise Bibby Offshore’s multi role diving support vessel the Bibby Topaz, equipped with an inspection class ROV. (May, 2016)
Subcontractors:
OIE Services: Support and solutions for O&M contract
Burntisland Fabricators Inc: Two deep gas injection process modules and riser platform topsides