Project Profile
Value: US$190.20 million
Location: North Sea, UK
Blocks: 13/24 and 13/29b
Water depth: 110m
Production: 85,000 barrels a day
Production start-up: June 2001
The Blake oil field (Blake ‘Channel’) is a North Sea oil field about 64 miles from Aberdeen (in the Outer Moray Firth). The field began oil production in June 2001, about two months ahead of target. The field, located in blocks 13/24 and 13/29b (discovered in March 1997), is operated by the BG Group and owned by Repsol Sinopec Resources UK (previously Talisman) (53.6%), BG Group (44%) and Paladin Expro Limited (2.4%). The cost of the Blake project was US$190.20 million and will yield 65,000 barrels a day initially. Production at the oil field is eventually expected to peak at around 85,000 barrels a day.
The hydrocarbons produced from the Blake field are transported via flow lines to a subsea production manifold for onward transportation to the Bleo Holm FPSO (9.5km away) via 10in and 12in production lines. On the FPSO, the Blake fluids are processed with those from the Ross field. The produced oil, gas and water are separated on the Bleo Holm and the oil temporarily stored onboard prior to export using the shuttle tanker. The surplus gas is exported via the existing Ross tie-in to the 24in Frigg UK pipeline to the St Fergus gas terminal.
Production from the Ross oil field was suspended in March 2001 to allow onshore topside modifications to the Bleo Holm unit. These modifications were completed and the vessel returned to the field for offshore hook-up ahead of the project schedule, allowing production to resume well ahead of the planned date (and under budget).
The FPSO unit is an ‘Aframax’ tanker hull, specially designed for FPSO duty, with a double bottom and double sides. It has a design life of 20 years and is capable of retaining certificates without leaving the field for a period of at least eight years. At the front of the unit are the flare boom and the turret mooring system, designed to permanently moor the Bleo Holm at a location in all weather conditions. The anchor leg pattern provides large free sectors in which to install flexible risers and umbilicals. The turret is equipped with J-tubes supporting the risers for liquids and gas and umbilicals for power, controls and chemicals. Supported on the main deck in large modules is equipment for processing and power generation. A shuttle tanker mooring and offloading system is located at the stern, capable of discharging crude oil into shuttle tankers of up to 150,000 dead-weight tonnage.
The contract for the tie-in, including engineering, hook-up, installation and commissioning, was awarded to Aker Maritime’s UK yard, Aker McNulty, and was worth £15m-20m. The Bleo Holm is a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FSPO) unit designed, built, owned and operated by Bluewater.
The contract for the design, procurement and commissioning of crude separation and water process separation equipment was awarded to Axsia by Fluor Daniel Ltd. The FPSO went into service in 1999 in the Ross oil field, off the coast of Aberdeen in Scotland.
Operators:
Repsol Sinopec Resources UK: 53.6% interest
Shell: 44% interest
Paladin Expro Limited: 2.4% interest
Contractors:
Aker Maritime: Tie-in, including engineering, hook-up, installation and commissioning