Total has started-up production from the Edradour and Glenlivet gas and condensate fields west of Shetland. ahead of schedule and 30% under budget.
The fields, in about 300-435m water depth, have been developed with a 35km, three-well tieback to the Laggan-Tormore production infrastructure. Laggan-Tormore is a 143km-long subsea tieback to the Shetland Gas Plant, which came on stream in 2016. Edradour and Glenlivet add up to 56,000 boe/d production capacity. Glenlivet was brought on stream a year ahead of schedule.
"The start-up of the Edradour & Glenlivet fields demonstrates Total’s ability to deliver projects, taking advantage of favourable market conditions and simplifying designs to optimise execution. We have completed this project ahead of schedule and 30% under the initial budget”, said Arnaud Breuillac, President Exploration & Production.
The dual field development sees two Glenlivet production wells tied back to a further production well on the Edradour field. Both are then tied into Total’s existing Laggan-Tormore import lines, which lie 16km to the south of Edradour.
In a first for Total, the project has seen the deployment of seam welded tubes on the Glenlivet umbilical – an innovation that promises the Holy Grail of engineering: a product that is lighter, stronger and more cost efficient to fabricate.
The need to minimise the risk of corrosion in the Edradour production flowline also posed engineers a challenge. The answer involved coating a 1200m-long section of the pipeline with thermally sprayed aluminium to enhance cooling. Protected by ventilated glass reinforced covers, the development of this novel cooling section has enhanced Total’s understanding of the thermal performance of rock-dumped pipelines, says the firm.
Following treatment at the gas plant, the gas is exported to the UK mainland via the Shetland Island Regional Gas Export System (SIRGE) and FUKA pipeline, and will serve the UK domestic market. The condensates are exported via the Sullom Voe Terminal.
Total E&P UK operates Edradour & Glenlivet with a 60% interest alongside partners DONG E&P (UK) (20%) and SSE E&P UK (20%).