Viking gas field

The Viking gas field is a group of natural gas and associated condensate fields located under the southern North Sea about 85 miles (136 km) from the Lincolnshire coast. The field was in production from 1972 to 2018.

Viking gas field
CountryUnited Kingdom
RegionSouthern North Sea
Location/blocks49/12, 49/16 and 49/17
Offshore/onshoreOffshore
Coordinates53°26′53″N 2°19′59″E
OperatorConoco UK Ltd. ConocoPhillips
OwnerConoco UK Ltd. ConocoPhillips
PartnerBritoil plc
Field history
Discovery1965
Start of production1972
Peak of production1977
Abandonment2018
Production
Recoverable gas79.3×10^9 m3 (2.80×10^12 cu ft)
Producing formationsRotliegendes

The field

The Viking gas field is a group of natural gas accumulations under the UK North Sea. The field is named after the area of the North Sea beneath which the field is located.[1] The gas reservoir is a Rotliegendes sandstone of Lower to Middle Permian age, at a depth of 9,100–10,200 feet (2,773–3,110 m) with a thickness of 200–500 feet (61–150 m).[2] The Viking structures run north-west to south-east and extend over Blocks 49/12, 49/16 and 49/17.[1] The field was discovered in 1965 and production started in 1972. The original gas in place amounted to 79.3 billion cubic metres.[1] Gas and associated condensate from Viking A and Viking B were both exported via the Viking A field through a 28-inch diameter pipeline to the Viking gas terminal[2] (renamed the Theddlethorpe gas terminal in 1988), Lincolnshire.

The Victor, Victoria and Vixen fields are adjacent to Viking and production from these fields is routed through the Viking offshore facilities.[2]

The Viking and Victor gas compositions and properties are as follows.[2]

Viking and Victor gas properties
Composition North Viking % South Viking % Victor
Methane 89 89 91
Ethane 6 6 3.6
Propane 1.4 1.4 1.0
Carbon dioxide 2 2 2.5
Gas gravity 0.61 0.61 0.604
Mean condensate content 3–6 bbl/million cu ft 3–6 bbl/million cu ft 1.8 bbl/million cu ft
Calorific value 1030 Btu/cu ft 1030 Btu/cu ft 1020 Btu/cu ft

Ownership

The field was originally licensed to Conoco UK Ltd, later ConocoPhillips. In 2019 Chrysaor assumed the ownership of Conoco-Phillips North Sea Assets.[3] In March 2021 Chrysaor Holdings merged with Premier Oil to form Harbour Energy.[4]

Development

The Viking field was developed through a number of offshore installations. These are summarized in the following tables.[1][2][5]

ConocoPhillips Viking B offshore platforms
ConocoPhillips Viking BA North Sea offshore platform
Viking offshore installations
Installation Location Block Facility Function Type Legs Well slots Installed Production start Production to
Viking A complex 49/12 AD platform Drilling Steel jacket 8 11 December 1970 August 1972 Viking AP
AP platform Processing Steel jacket 8 – March 1971 August 1972 Theddlethorpe gas terminal
AR platform Pipeline risers Steel jacket 6 – July 1971 1972 Viking AP
AC platform Compression Steel jacket 8 – June 1975 February 1976 Viking AP
FD platform Drilling Steel jacket 4 4 July 1975 July 1976 Viking AD
Viking B complex 49/17 BD platform Drilling Steel jacket 8 11 May 1972 August 1973 Viking BP
BP platform Processing Steel jacket 8 – June 1972 August 1973 Viking AR
BC platform Compression Steel jacket 8 – June 1975 July 1977 Viking BP
BA platform Accommodation Steel jacket 4 – 1992 – –
Viking CD 49/17 CD platform Drilling and processing Steel jacket 6 4 February 1974 December 1974 Viking B
Viking DD 49/17 DD platform Drilling and processing Steel jacket 8 4 May 1974 October 1974 Viking B
Viking ED 49/16 ED platform Drilling and processing Steel jacket 8 4 October 1974 November 1975 Viking B
Viking GD 49/17 GD platform Drilling and processing Steel jacket 6 4 June 1975 July 1977 Viking B
Viking HD 49/17 HD platform Drilling and processing Steel jacket 6 4 July 1974 April 1975 Viking B
Viking KD 49/12 KD platform Production Steel jacket 3 6 1998 1998 Viking BD
Viking LD 49/17 LD platform Production Steel jacket 3 6 1998 1998 Viking BD

Satellite fields

The satellite fields which exported gas via the Viking B complex were:[5]

Installation Location Block Facility Function Type Legs Well slots Installed Production start Production to
Victor JD 49/22 JD platform Production Steel jacket 4 8 June 1984 September 1984 Viking BD
Victor JM 49/22 Subsea well Production Subsea – 1995 1995 Victor JM
Victoria SM 49/17 Subsea well Production Subsea – 2008 2008 Viking BD
Vixen VM 49/17 Subsea well Production Subsea – 1 2000 2000 Viking BD

Production

The annual gas production from the Viking field (in millions of standard cubic feet) was:[2]

Export from the Viking B field was originally routed to the shore terminal via Viking AR. From 2009 export was re-routed to shore via the LOGGS installation.[5]

Decommissioning

The Viking A field (Viking North) was decommissioned as uneconomical in 1991. The A field platforms (except AR) were removed in 1993–4.[5]

Viking CD, DD, ED, GD & HD ceased production in 2011–15, and were removed in 2017–18.[5]

Theddlethorpe gas terminal was permanently shut-down in August 2018. Production from all connected fields ceased.[5]

See also

References
  1. Department of Trade and Industry (1994). The Energy Report. London: HMSO. pp. 93–4. ISBN 0115153802.
  2. Oilfield Publications Limited (1985). The North Sea Platform Guide. Ledbury: Oilfield Publications Limited. pp. 696–716.
  3. "Chrysaor nears deal to buy Conoco's North Sea assets". Energy Voice. 18 April 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  4. "Here's what to know as Harbour Energy becomes London's top independent oil-and-gas group". Market Watch. 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  5. ConocoPhillips (2019). "Viking Decommissioning Programmes" (PDF). ConocoPhillips. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
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