Hutton oilfield
Encyclopedia
The Hutton oil field, located on the UK continental shelf
, was the location for the first ever production Tension Leg Platform
(TLP).
in age and were deposited as a result of deltaic progradation across the Hutton area. The oil bearing Brent Group sandstones vary in thickness from 150 ft to 380 ft with average porosities of 22% and permeabilities of 500-2000 md in the producing zones. Original recoverable reserves were estimated at 190 million barrels, of which the field has produced 107 million barrels by 1991.
and Vickers Offshore Production in 1981. The integrated topsides was built at the McDermott
Ardersier
yard in Scotland, and the hull at the HiFab Nigg
yard. Hutton TLP was installed in 1984 by Aker Offshore. It was the first Tension Leg Platform
permanently moored to the sea floor via tethers or tendons at each of the structures corners.
At the time of decommissioning the field was operated by Kerr-McGee
. The TLP platform was removed for re-use outside the UK when the platform was purchased by Sevmorneftegaz, a subsidiary of Gazprom
, in August 2002, and after having its decommissioning programme accepted by the UK Government.
The floating platform was towed to Murmansk
in Russia
where the topsides facilities and main hull were de-mated. Subsequently the topsides were transported by barge to the Sevmash
fabrication yard at Severodvinsk
, where they were temporarily stored while undergoing refurbishment and refitting.
After completion the topsides were reinstalled onto a new hull structure of the Prirazlomnaya platform, and will be towed into position ready for a new role in the development of the Prirazlomnoye Field
, 1200 kilometres (745.6 mi) north east of Arkhangelsk
in the Pechora Sea
. In early 2009 the hull of the former Hutton TLP was being towed from Murmansk to the Gulf of Mexico for reinstalling on a new structure,however the project was cancelled, and hull is currently cold-stacked in the Cromarty Firth, Scotland.
UK Continental Shelf
The UK Continental Shelf is the region of waters surrounding the United Kingdom, in which the country claims mineral rights. This principally refers to the North Sea, where there are large resources of hydrocarbons. The North Sea is also bordered by Norway, Denmark, Germany and The Netherlands...
, was the location for the first ever production Tension Leg Platform
Tension-leg platform
A Tension-leg platform or Extended Tension Leg Platform is a vertically moored floating structure normally used for the offshore production of oil or gas, and is particularly suited for water depths greater than 300 metres and less than 1500 meters...
(TLP).
History
The Hutton oil field is situated in the East Shetland Basin in the UK North Sea on the western side of the Viking Graben. It straddles UK Blocks 211/27 and 211/28. The field was discovered in July 1973 by the Conoco well 211/28-la and was operated by Conoco (UK) Limited.Geology
The structure comprises a series of southwesterly dipping tilted fault blocks. The reservoir sandstones are Middle JurassicJurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
in age and were deposited as a result of deltaic progradation across the Hutton area. The oil bearing Brent Group sandstones vary in thickness from 150 ft to 380 ft with average porosities of 22% and permeabilities of 500-2000 md in the producing zones. Original recoverable reserves were estimated at 190 million barrels, of which the field has produced 107 million barrels by 1991.
Facility
The design of the Hutton TLP was awarded to Brown & RootKBR
KBR can stand for:* KBR - American engineering and construction company* Key-based routing* Royal Library of Belgium* The ISO 639 linguistic identifier code for the Ethiopian language Kaffa ....
and Vickers Offshore Production in 1981. The integrated topsides was built at the McDermott
J. Ray McDermott
McDermott International is an international engineering company specialized on marine solutions with operations in the Americas, Middle East, the Caspian Sea, and the Pacific Rim...
Ardersier
Ardersier
Ardersier is a small former fishing village in the Scottish Highlands, on the Moray Firth, east of Inverness, near Fort George, and Nairn . Its name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic "Àird nan Saor", or "Headland of the joiners", one local legend being that carpenters working on the construction...
yard in Scotland, and the hull at the HiFab Nigg
Nigg, Highland
Nigg is a village and parish on the north east shore of Nigg Bay in north east Ross-shire and is in the Scottish council area of Highland...
yard. Hutton TLP was installed in 1984 by Aker Offshore. It was the first Tension Leg Platform
Tension-leg platform
A Tension-leg platform or Extended Tension Leg Platform is a vertically moored floating structure normally used for the offshore production of oil or gas, and is particularly suited for water depths greater than 300 metres and less than 1500 meters...
permanently moored to the sea floor via tethers or tendons at each of the structures corners.
At the time of decommissioning the field was operated by Kerr-McGee
Kerr-McGee
The Kerr-McGee Corporation, founded in 1929, was an energy company involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas. On June 23, 2006, Houston-based Anadarko Petroleum Corporation agreed to acquire Kerr-McGee in an all-cash transaction totaling $16.5 billion plus the assumption of $2.6...
. The TLP platform was removed for re-use outside the UK when the platform was purchased by Sevmorneftegaz, a subsidiary of Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
, in August 2002, and after having its decommissioning programme accepted by the UK Government.
The floating platform was towed to Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
where the topsides facilities and main hull were de-mated. Subsequently the topsides were transported by barge to the Sevmash
Sevmash
JSC PO Sevmash is a shipbuilding company based in Severodvinsk, a port city on Russia's White Sea. The name Sevmash is an abbreviation of Severnoye Mashinostroitelnoye Predpriyatie , i.e. "Northern Machine-Building Enterprise". Sevmash is the largest shipbuilding enterprise in Russia and today the...
fabrication yard at Severodvinsk
Severodvinsk
Severodvinsk is a city in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the delta of the Northern Dvina River, west of Arkhangelsk. Administratively, it is incorporated as a town of oblast significance . Municipally, it is incorporated as Severodvinsk Urban Okrug. The city was founded as...
, where they were temporarily stored while undergoing refurbishment and refitting.
After completion the topsides were reinstalled onto a new hull structure of the Prirazlomnaya platform, and will be towed into position ready for a new role in the development of the Prirazlomnoye Field
Prirazlomnoye field
Prirazlomnoye field is an Arctic offshore oilfield located in the Pechora Sea, south of Novaya Zemlya, Russia. The field development is based on the single stationary Prirazlomnaya platform, which is the first Arctic-class ice-resistant oil platform in the world. The commercial drilling is expected...
, 1200 kilometres (745.6 mi) north east of Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
in the Pechora Sea
Pechora Sea
Pechora Sea , is a sea at the northwest of Russia, the southeastern part of the Barents Sea. The western border of the sea is off Kolguyev Island, while the eastern border is the western coasts of Vaygach Island and the Yugorsky Peninsula, and the northern border the southern end of Novaya...
. In early 2009 the hull of the former Hutton TLP was being towed from Murmansk to the Gulf of Mexico for reinstalling on a new structure,however the project was cancelled, and hull is currently cold-stacked in the Cromarty Firth, Scotland.