EnQuest makes first crude oil transfer at Sullom Voe in three years

London-listed oil company EnQuest has made a ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil at the Port of Sullom Voe, Shetland, for the first time in almost three years. 

EnQuest said on Friday that the transfer of around 500,000 barrels of crude oil produced from the Kraken field in the East Shetland Basin was completed at the Port on Thursday, September 13. The Kraken oil field started production in June 2017.

The transfer was made from the Heather Knutsen, a 277-metre long Canadian-registered shuttle tanker, to the Speedway, a 274 meter long, Greek-registered tanker.

This also marks the first new business for Sullom Voe Terminal since EnQuest took over its operatorship last year, with the team handling logistical support to Shetland Islands Council for the ship-to-ship transfer.

Namely, British oil major BP sold 25 percent of its 100 percent stake in the Magnus field; 25 percent of interests in a number of associated pipelines, and a three percent interest in the Sullom Voe Terminal in January 2017.

Operatorship of both Magnus and SVT transferred from BP to EnQuest on completion. The sale did not affect BP’s rights to capacity in SVT.

It is worth noting that EnQuest acquired the remaining 75 percent of the Magnus field last week.

Bob Davenport, managing director of EnQuest’s North Sea business, said: “We are pleased to have worked with Shetland Islands Council, the operators of the Port, and our other stakeholders to deliver the first ship-to-ship transfer at the Port since 2015.

“Ship-to-ship transfer is just one of the activities we are progressing with other stakeholders to maximize the long-term value of the terminal.”

Offshore Energy Today Staff