Repsol Sinopec files decommissioning plans for North Sea field duo

Repsol Sinopec Resources has filed its draft decommissioning plans to the UK authorities for the Buchan & Hannay fields located in the UK North Sea. 

Repsol Sinopec has filed four decommissioning programs for the installations and subsea infrastructure associated with its operated Buchan & Hannay fields.

The Buchan field spans blocks 20/5a and 21/1 and is located c. 154km northeast of Aberdeen and c. 103km from the UK/Norwegian median line in a water depth of c.115m. The first oil from the field was achieved in May 1981.

In total, 12 wells have been drilled in the Buchan field: seven production wells; two appraisal wells: one exploration well and two water injection wells.

The Hannay field is located in Block 20/5. It was discovered in 1996 and started production in 2002. The field is located c. 13.5km northwest of the Buchan template in water depth of c. 123m. The Hannay field comprises two production wells which are currently shut-in and disconnected from the flowlines.

Both fields produced via the Buchan Alpha floating production unit (FPU) but were isolated in 2017, when the FPU was removed from station in August 2017. From the FPU the hydrocarbons were transported to the Forties Charlie platform

Both fields are now in the decommissioning phase. Field life extension options have been considered and were all found to be sub-economic, and consequently the fields are to be decommissioned.

Infrastructure at the Buchan and Hannay fields comprised a number of surface laid and trenched and buried pipelines and umbilicals, subsea structures, and stabilisation features.

All surface laid pipelines and umbilicals will be recovered whilst the trenched and buried pipelines and umbilical will be decommissioned in situ and the exposed ends will be remediated.

All subsea structures, mattresses and grout bags will be recovered. Existing rockdump will be decommissioned in situ.

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