Chevron North Sea is considering a new bridge-linked platform (BLP) on its Captain field in order to carry out an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project, using polymers, on the field.
Newly formed engineering group Amec Foster Wheeler has won the front end engineering and design contract for the proposed new platform, which would be used to store, mix and pump polymer.
The company will also be responsible for the BLP brownfield tie-ins to the existing facilities as well as minor works on the Captain floating production storage offloading (FPSO) unit.
Captain, which is in Block 13/22a, about 68mi offshore Aberdeen, was discovered in 1977 and started first production in 1997. It has been developed using two platforms (pictured), bridge linked, and an FPSO, with subsea templates. The field contains relatively heavy oil, at 19-21° API and Chevron hopes, using EOR, to increase the recovery rate from 34% to about 50%+.
Polymer EOR has been under trial at Captain, as well as other fields including Total's Dalia, offshore Angola. Statoil has been considering polymer EOR for its Heidrun field. Some of the challenges to using it effectively have included the polymer transport, mixing, storage and pumping.
According the Amec Foster Wheeler, the Captain project will help to further establish the offshore full-field application of polymer EOR technology for possible application elsewhere in the North Sea and globally.
“This is a prestigious and challenging project that encompasses both greenfield and brownfield engineering, procurement and project management services, so is an excellent fit for our capabilities,” said Nick Shorten, Managing Director of Amec Foster Wheeler’s Greenfield business in Europe.
Amec Foster Wheeler also today announced it had bought Aberdeen-based Scopus Group holdings, a laser scanning, dimensional control and lean engineering company. The firm's survey data is used to engineer piping and structures for the oil and gas industry. Scopus has about 200 staff.
Amec Foster Wheeler was formed earlier this year after UK based engineering and project management group Amec bought Swiss rival Foster Wheeler. The firm, still led by Beirut born, Swedish raised, former Amec CEO Samir Brikho.
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