Thames gas field

The Thames gas field is a depleted natural gas reservoir and former gas production facility in the UK sector of the southern North Sea. The field is located about 80 km north east of Bacton, Norfolk; the Thames production facility was in operation from 1986 until 2014.

Thames gas field
CountryUnited Kingdom
RegionNorth Sea
Location/blocks49/28
Offshore/onshoreOffshore
Coordinates53°05’02”N 02°32’50”E
OperatorsARCO, Perenco
Partnerssee text
Field history
DiscoveryDecember 1973
Start of production1986
Peak year1987
Abandonment2014
Production
Producing formationsRotliegend sandstone

The fields

The Thames field was discovered by ARCO in December 1973 by well 49/28-4.[1] The field is principally located in Block 48/28. The gas reservoir is a Rotliegend sandstone. At the time of start-up, the field was jointly owned by ARCO British Ltd (43.34%), British Sun Oil Co Ltd (23.33%), Superior Oil (UK) Ltd (20.00%), Deminex UK Oil & Gas Ltd (10.00%), and Canadian Superior Oil (UK) Ltd (3.33%).[1] The field was anticipated to have recoverable reserves of 16.2 billion cubic metres (bcm).[1]

In addition to Thames, the adjacent fields produced natural gas to the Thames facility.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Thames area fields
Field Block Date discovered Reserves, bcm (note 1) Original owner Owner in 2014
Thames 49/28 December 1973 16.2 ARCO & others Perenco
Bure 49/28 May 1983
Wensum 49/28 September 1985
Yare 49/28 May 1969
Orwell 50/26a February 1990 6.9 ARCO/ Texaco Tullow
Deben 49/28 1.0 Tullow Tullow
Welland NW 53/4a January 1984 8.1 ARCO/Britoil/Elf Perenco
Welland S 53/4a June 1984
Arthur 53/2 2003 3.7 ExxonMobil Perenco
Gawain 49/29a 1970 5.55 ARCO Perenco
Horne 53/3 1992 Hamilton Oil Tullow
Wren 53/3 1997 ARCO Tullow
Wissey 53/04 1967 Signal Oil Tullow

note 1. Reserves are in billion cubic metres (bcm).

The Thames, Bure, Deben, Welland, Wensum and Yare fields are named after rivers in East Anglia and south east England.

Arthur and Gawain are part of the Arthurian gas fields.

Development

The Thames field was developed by ARCO as a central 3-platform bridge linked complex.[6] In addition to its own gas, Thames was designed to be a central hub to receive and process well fluids from the surrounding installations. Processed gas was transmitted by pipeline from Thames to the Bacton Gas Terminal, Norfolk. The main design parameters of the Thames area installations are summarized in the table.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Thames area installations
Installation name Block Coordinates Water depth, metres Type Legs Piles Well slots Production to Pipeline, length and diameter Pipeline number
Thames AP 49/28 53°05’02”

02°32’50”

 31 Steel jacket 6 6 Nil Thames AW bridge –
Thames AW 49/28 53°05’04”

02°32’50”

 31 Steel jacket 4 4 5 Bacton 89.5 km, 24” PL370
Thames AR 49/28 53°05’02”

02°32’53”

 31 Vierendeel tower 4 4 nil Thames AP bridge –
Horne/Wren 53/3 52°54’06”

02°35’57”

 41 Steel jacket 2 Thames AR 20.3 km 10” PL2080
Bure O 49/28-8 53°07’25”

02°25’32”

 35 Subsea wellhead – – 1 Thames AW 9.3 km, 8” PL371
Bure West 49/28-18 53.129177 02.403614 35 Subsea wellhead – – 1 Thames AR 11.2 km, 8” PL1635
Orwell 49/26a2 53°08’28” 03°02’34” 33 Subsea wellhead – – 3 Thames AW 34 km, 16” PL931
Yare C 49/28 53.044933

2.574231

 37 Subsea wellhead – – Thames AW 4.8 km, 8” PL372
Welland 49/29b 53.985194 02.736594 39 Steel jacket 3 1 Thames AW 17.5 km,16” PL674
Welland NW 49/29b 53.089044 2.675147 34 Subsea wellheads – – 3 Welland 8 km, 5.8 km, 3.2 km, 8” PL676  PL677

PL678

Arthur 53/2 52°54’48”

02°14’57”

 42 Subsea wellhead – – 3 Thames AW 29.3 km, 12” PL2047
Gawain 49/29a 53°09’35” 02°44’06” 37 Subsea wellhead – – 1 Thames AW 15.4 km, 12” PL1057
Deben / Thurne 49/28 53°06’03”

02°28’44”

 34 Subsea wellhead – – Thames AR 5.2 km, 8” PL1637
Wissey 53/4d 52°54’05” 02°45’11” 39 Subsea wellhead – – Horne/Wren 30.9 km PL2492


In 2007 the Deben wellhead was reused for the Thurne development.

The Thames AP platform had the main process equipment which included gas compressors and liquid handling plant.[6] The accommodation facilities for 47 crew were also located on AP. The AW platform had 5 wellheads and the reception facilities for Arthur, Orwell, Gawain, Bure, Welland and Yare fields. The AR platform had reception facilities for Bure West, Horne/Wren and Thurne fields.[6]

In addition to the gas pipelines, there were also umbilicals between some of the installations.[6]

Umbilicals
Name From – to Diameter, inches Length, km Pipeline number
Yare C umbilical Thames AW to Yare C well 4 4.8 PL373
Bure O umbilical Thames AW 4 9.3 PL374
Bure West umbilical Thurne to Bure West 5 11.2 PL1636
Thurne flowline Thames AR to Thurne 8 4.6 PL1637
Thurne umbilical Thames AR to Thurne 5 4.5 PL1638


As part of the Thames development new pipeline reception facilities and process plant was installed at the Phillips (latter Eni, Tullow) terminal at Bacton gas terminal. From the reception facilities gas passed to the former Amoco (later Perenco) site for treatment.[6]

Gas production

Gas production from Thames and the connected fields is shown in the table, data includes the peak rate and the cumulative production over the period 1986 to 2014.[2]

Gas Production
Name Production start Peak flow, mcm/y Peak year Production end Cumulative production to 2014
Thames 1986 1,600 1987 2014 6,867
Wensum 1986 1997 61
Yare 1986 2014 1,945
Bure O 1986 291 1988 2014 2,003
Bure West 1986 2014 822
Horne 2005 325 2006 2011 1,238
Wren 2005 396 2007 2012 1,045
Orwell 1993 1,470 1995 2008 8,618
Welland NW 1990 931 1991 2002 5,378
Welland South 1991 389 1992 2002 2,283
Arthur 2005 858 2005 2014 2,378
Gawain 1995 929 1996 2014 6,311
Deben 1998 240 1999 2004 457
Thurne 2007 129 2007 2012 209
Wissey 2008 257 2009 2013 574


The production profile, in mcm/y, of the Thames field was as shown.[2]

The production profile, in mcm/y, of the Orwell field was as shown.[2]

Decommissioning and recommissioning

A cessation of production authorisation for Thames was granted in May 2014.[6] Perenco developed a decommissioning programme. This entailed the plugging and abandonment of all wells and removal of all structures above the seabed. Pipelines were left in situ after being flushed and filled with seawater.[6]

In 2019 Independent Oil and Gas (now IOG) purchased the Thames gas pipeline reception facilities at the Bacton terminal.[7] The facilities comprise an area of land within the Perenco part of Bacton where IOG’s fully-owned Thames pipeline connects to the terminal. It includes gas and liquids reception equipment recommissioned for the development of IOG’s southern North Sea Core Project, across six fields. Produced gas will continue onto the main Perenco Bacton plant for final processing.[7] In 2021 the Blythe and Southwark platforms were installed.[8]

See also

References
  1. Department of Trade and Industry (1994). The Energy Report. London: HMSO. ISBN 0115153802.
  2. "Oil and Gas UK – Field data". gov.uk. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  3. "Inventory of Offshore Installations". odims.ospar.org. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  4. "Horne and Wren gas fields". abarrelfull. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  5. "Welland Decommissioning Programmes Close Out report" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  6. "Thames Complex Decommissioning programmes" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  7. "IOG secures Bacton site for North Sea Thames gas". offshore-mag.com. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  8. "IOG reaches milestone as Blythe and Southwark platforms installed". energyvoice.com. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
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