Project Profile
Value: US$4 billion
Location: Block 22/25a (License P111), UK North Sea
Reserves: 250-300 MMboe (gas condensate field)
Production: 60,000 - 90,000 boepd
Peak production: 11.33 - 14.16 mcm (expected)
Water depth: 92 m
Discovery year: 29 January 2009
Start-up year: 2019
The Culzean discovery is located on Block 22/25a (P111) in a water depth of 92 metres in the UK sector of the North Sea. Culzean is the largest hydrocarbon discovery in the UK North Sea for over a decade. The field is approximately 233 km east of Aberdeen and is expected to produce between 60,000 - 90,000 boepd at plateau production, producing for at least 13 years. The project was sanctioned in August 2015.
The Culzean discovery well 22/25a-9z encountered a gas condensate column in reservoirs of Middle Jurassic to Triassic age. Two years later, the operator appraised the find, confirming the presence of a significant hydrocarbon accumulation. Gas and condensate was confirmed at an average depth of nearly 4.5 km within the targeted reservoirs of Triassic and Jurassic age. The well was tested in two intervals and delivered a rig constrained rate of nearly 1.13 mcm (40 MMcf/d) of natural gas in addition to 900 barrels of condensate per day in each interval. The consortium further appraised the find by drilling a sidetrack well down flank to the east of the appraisal well to assess the full extent of the field. Culzean gas field is expected to have a peak production rate of 11.33 to 14.16 mcm (400 to 500 MMscfd), providing for around 5% of the UK\'s total gas consumption by 2020/21.
In August 2015, the UK Oil & Gas Authority granted the approval for the development of the Culzean Field.
Operators:
Maersk Oil: Operator with 49.99% interest
JX Nippon: 18.01% interest
BP: 32% interest
Contractors:
Atlantic Offshore: Emergency response and rescue services
Wood Group: Mechanical and management services
Bilfinger Salamis: Preparation and installation of new gas production field
Semco Maritime: Will participate in the installation and preparation of the new gas production field Culzean.
Maersk Supply Service: Contracted to manage the complete towing, mooring installation and hook up service scopes.
Ensign: Drilling contract
KBR: Contract to carry out FEED for a major three-platform bridge-linked development
Intecsea: 10-month FEED contract to Intecsea, a unit of WorleyParsons Group. The contract includes optional detailed design scopes also in support of the Culzean project. (July 2014)
Exova: Contract to provide material selection and qualification, and mechanical/ corrosion testing for downhole tubulars to be deployed in Maersk’s Culzean development in the UK central North Sea
Heerema: Contract for a wellhead platform jacket construction contract on Maersk Oil’s Culzean gas field off the UK
DNV GL: Contract with scope including Independent Competent Person Verification, Independent Verification Body, Pressure Equipment Directive and the Explosive Atmospheres Directive ATEX services.
Ramboll: Contract for detailed design of the jackets for the central processing facility platform and the utilities and living quarter platform (2015). Also for wellhead jacket detailed design (2014).
Tenaris: Contract for to supply casing and related services for the project, an ultra high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) gas project that accounts for six HPHT production wells together with one produced water reinjection well. The agreement will be effective for 5 years with the option to extend it for 2 more years.
Sembcorp Marine subsidiary SMOE Pte Ltd: EPC contract for the building of the Central Processing Facility plus 2 connecting bridges, Wellhead Platform and Utilities & Living Quarters Platform Topsides. SMOE will provide EPC and onshore pre-commissioning services while detailed engineering work will be performed by a subcontracting partner.
Heerema Fabrication Group (HFG): EPC contract for the jackets of the platform. The firm will deliver jackets for both the central processing facilities platform and the utility & living quarter platform. This contract is the second HFG has won for the Culzean project. On October 21, 2014, the Procurement & Construction contract of the Culzean wellhead platform jacket, wellhead access deck and access ways was awarded. As part of the contract, six pile sleeve clusters will be fabricated at Heerema’s Hartlepool facility in the UK, in addition to the Wellhead Access Deck already underway at the yard. The jacket for the central processing facilities (CPF) has a top of 24 x 30 metres and a weight of almost 8,000 tonnes. The top of the utility & living quarter (ULQ) jacket will be 24 x 24 metres and this jacket will weigh 6,800 tonnes. (January 2016 - June 2017)
MODEC: Contract with Maersk Oil UK to supply a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel for the Culzean development project in the North Sea. MODEC is responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the FSO. SOFEC, a subsidiary of MODEC, will design and supply the Internal Turret mooring system. The complete unit will be delivered to Maersk Oil UK in the first half of 2018.
Tata Steel (with BSR Pipeline Services): Multi-million pound contract to be responsible for providing more than 18,000 t of carbon steel welded line pipe with the core element of the scope of supply encompassing a 53km gas export pipeline, which will tie into the existing Central Area Transmission System (CATS). The gas export line will be manufactured at Tata Steel’s UOE LSAW pipe mill located in Hartlepool, UK with BSR Pipeline Services, a joint venture with Tata Steel, providing the coating services.
TWMA: Contract to work on the Culzean high-pressure/high-temperature field development in the UK central North Sea and provide drilling waste processing and waste management for five years with the option of two one-year extensions, using its proprietary TCC RotoMill and EfficientC equipment. (November, 2015)
Emerson Process Management: Contract to automate the Culzean gas field development. As the main automation contractor, Emerson will provide automation services and technologies for the three offshore platforms as well as for an onshore observation facility that can support remote operations if needed. (March, 2016)
Datum360: Contracts to provide and implement Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions. As well as implementing Datum360’s DMaaS (Data Management as a Service), Maersk has also used the company to advise its data control centre on processes and software and currently to train staff on engineering information systems. (April, 2016)
PJ Valves (PJV): to supply over 1,000 valves
- to manufacture forged cast gate globe and check valves in super duplex and super alloys for the well head, living and central processing platforms
- supply wafer check valves to prevent fluid backflow on these facilities
- also has been awarded contracts for the compressor, metering and water treatment packages. (August, 2016)
Semco Maritime: Communications systems and infrastructure for the production platforms. (October, 2016)
Royal IHC: Contract for the EPC of a tandem mooring and offloading system for the FSO vessel. (October, 2016)
Sparrows Group: Contracted to deliver hydraulic, lifting and rigging services.
National Oilwell Varco: Contracted to commission connectors
Petrofac: Training management services contract
Sub-contractors:
Sembcorp Marine Rigs and Floaters Pte Ltd: Contract to design and build a new FSO vessel for MODEC. Scheduled for delivery in 1Q2018, the FSO unit will be SCM’s first FSO newbuilding secured on a full turnkey project basis including Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning. (November, 2015)
Keppel Offshore & Marine: A contract from SOFEC (subsidairy of MODEC) to fabricate an Internal Turret Mooring System for a Floating Storage and Offloading vessel that will operate on Culzean Field. Fabrication of the turret is expected to be completed in 3Q 2017. (July,2016)
frames: Contracted by Sembcorp Marine subsidiary, Sembcorp Marine Offshore Platforms (SMOP) to supply two seawater electrochlorination systems, one wellhead control panel complete with a hydraulic power unit, and three hydraulic power units for topside and subsea valves.
IKM: Secured engineering work.
FES International: Secured a contract from National Oilwell Varco (NOV) to supply equipment for the Maersk Oil-operated Culzean field in the UK North Sea. The contract includes the design, manufacture and supply of the several automatic Diverless Bend Stiffener Connectors. (March, 2017)