South Arne oil and gas field

The South Arne (Danish: Syd Arne) field is a major crude oil and associated gas production field in the Danish sector of the central North Sea. Production of oil and gas started in 1999, and peak oil and gas was in 2000.

South Arne oil and gas field
CountryDenmark
RegionNorth Sea
Location/blocks5604/29 &30
Offshore/onshoreOffshore
Coordinates56.07835°N 4.22886°E
OperatorsHess (until 2021), Ineos (since 2021)
OwnerHess; DONG; Noreco; and Danoil (initially); Ineos (since 2021)
Field history
Start of production1999
Peak of production2,558,000 cubic metres oil/year
Production
Producing formationsChalk

The field

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The characteristics of the South Arne field reservoir are as follows.[1]

Field South Arne
Reservoir Chalk
Geological age Danian and Upper Cretaceous
Offshore Block 5604/29 &30
Reservoir depth 2,800 m
Reservoir pressure and temperature 434 bar and 90°C.
Field delineation 93 km2
Reserves Oil 12.9 million m3

Gas 2.6 billion Normal m3

Discovered 1969

Owners and operators

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The field was originally owned jointly by Hess 57.48%; DONG 34.58%; Noreco 6.56%; and Danoil 1.58%.[2] It was operated by Hess. In 2021 Hess Denmark sold its interests in South Arne to Ineos E&P for $150 million.[2]

Infrastructure

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The field was initially developed through a single offshore installation (SA), two further field installations (WHPE and WHPN) were commissioned in 2013.[3] [1] Details are summarised below.

South Arne installations
Name South Arne (SA) WHPE Wellhead platform East (SA WHPE) WHPN Wellhead platform North (SA WHPN)
Coordinates 56.07835°N 4.22886°E 56.07823°N 4.230876°E 56.09574°N 4.219251°E
Production start 1999 2013 2013
Water depth 60 m 60 60
Installation Concrete gravity base and steel lattice drilling tower Fixed steel Fixed steel
Access Helicopter Bridge link to South Arne Helicopter
Function Wellhead, process, accommodation (57 beds) Wellheads Wellheads
Substructure weight tonnes 112,800 2,224 2,333
Topsides weight tonnes 8,955 1,932 1,762
Number of wells 14 oil production, 7 water injection 12 6
Export, liquids To subsea oil storage then by single anchor leg mooring (SAL) to tanker To South Arne Pipeline Bundle to WHPE (production P/L, lift gas and water injection)
Export, gas 285 km 24-inch pipeline to Nyhro To South Arne


The subsea oil tank has a capacity of 87,000 m3 (547,230 barrels). It is 110 m by 90 m by 18 m high.[4] The single anchor leg mooring (SAL) is located 2 km (56.09247°N 4.25615°E) from the South Arne installation.[4]

Hejre tie back

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There are plans to tie-in the Hejre platform into South Arne WHPE. This would be via a 30 km 10-inch or 12-inch multiphase pipeline. South Arne has sufficient capacity to process the Hejre fluids.[5]

Production

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Production facilities comprise a single three-stage oil/gas/water separator train capable of processing 50,000 barrels of oil per day (8,065 m3/day), 2 million m3 of gas per day, and 100,000 barrels of water per day (16,129 m3/day), The gas compression is a single four-stage train.[4]

Production from the South Arne field is aided by water injection for pressure support.[1] Some produced water is injected into the reservoir, the remainder is treated and discharged overboard. Injection water is treated to remove sulphate ions prior to injection.[2]

The oil and gas production profile of the South Arne field is as shown in the tables.

South Arne annual oil production (1000 m3) and gas production (million Normal m3) 2013-2022[6]
Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Total
Oil 700 1,023 1,030 946 774 570 565 479 408 347 29,802
Gas 167 238 307 370 281 187 167 132 108 108 7,665
South Arne annual oil production (1000 m3) and gas production (million Normal m3) 1999-2012[6]
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Oil 757 2,558 2,031 2,313 2,383 2,257 2,371 1,869 1,245 1,139 1,164 1,066 1,004 803
Gas 167 713 774 681 544 461 485 366 234 225 271 248 238 194

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Oil and gas production in Denmark 2013" (PDF). Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "A barrel full South Arne oil field". Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  3. ^ "OSPAR Inventory of Offshore Installations - 2021". Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "South Arne Oil and Gas Project, Danish North Sea". Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Hejre to South Arne Development Project" (PDF). Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Danish Energy Agency. "Monthly and yearly production"". 15 August 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2023.