Environmental Statement - Maersk Oil

Balloch Field Development Environmental Statement
Section 2 Proposed Development
The proposed Balloch development will increase water production rates on GPIII; however, the new
profiles will be within the FPSO’s capacity and therefore no PW plant modifications are required as
part of the proposed development. Furthermore, to accommodate the PW from Balloch, higher
water cut production from Donan and Lochranza may be choked back to optimise the production
facilities. Overall, the water balance should remain stable and unaffected by the introduction of
Balloch fluids. Recent disposal well interventions have increased well productivity significantly and
overboard disposal is not envisaged. However, in an upset condition or well deterioration some
overboard disposal may be required.
No new sand management facilities are proposed as part of the Balloch development. Completion
design will be optimised to minimise sand production. Sand production at the proposed development
is likely to be at similar levels to the Donan and Lochranza wells.
2.6.5. CONDENSATE AND GAS PRODUCTION
The GPIII topsides have two design modes of operation for treating condensate, which are
condensate re‐circulation and condensate extraction and export with gas. The latter has not been
commissioned or implemented to date on the GPIII and is not envisaged to be required for Balloch
production. This is due to the decline in Donan and Locharanza production relative to the phasing of
Balloch wells.
Balloch condensate, however, will result in the export gas becoming richer. For the Balloch high
profiles, this condensate enrichment could result in exceeding agreed specifications, which are
currently approaching their limit. A change in gas export specifications agreements will allow some of
the excess condensate to be exported in the gas. Continuous future gas availability for fuel and start
up of the GPIII FPSO is uncertain and dependent on the degree of future development. The gas export
pipeline is scheduled to change service and become a gas import line as early as Q3 2013 in order to
supply fuel gas to NSP and, at some point in the future, GPIII.
Maersk Oil have carried out parallel studies on ongoing constraints imposed on current production on
the GPIII and have identified strategies to de‐bottleneck any future processing constraints.
2.6.6. UTILITY SYSTEMS
The GPIII’s utility systems are summarised in Table 2‐16.
2‐23