Shell to Develop Fram as Subsea Tieback to Shearwater Platform

Shell UK has submitted an environmental statement to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in support of the field development plan for FRAM gas and condensate field in the Central North Sea.

Shell UK proposes to develop Fram gas and gas condensate field located in Blocks 29/3a, 29/4c, 29/8a, 29/9c in the Central North Sea, approximately 221 kilometers east of Aberdeen.

The field will be developed as a subsea tieback utilising existing Starling infrastructure to the Shearwater platform.

Produced fluids will be transported via a new flowline to the existing Starling manifold (approximately 15 km away), comingled with Starling production fluids and further transported via existing infrastructure to the Shearwater platform 33 km away.

Fluids from the Shearwater platform are exported through the Shearwater Elgin Area Line (SEAL) and Forties Pipeline System (FPS) pipelines. No modifications are required to the Shearwater topsides hydrocarbon processing equipment. Minor topsides changes include an upgrade to the control system and modifications of the chemical injection system.

The environmental statement is now available for the public to view as part of the statutory 30-day public consultation period.

Shell anticipates subsea installation campaign in Q2 – Q3 2019, followed by drilling and subsea tie in and commissioning from Q4 2019 – Q2 2020. First hydrocarbons are slated for Q2 2020.