Oil & Gas

Shallow Gas

unmanned operation, the platform will be remotely controlled

The A & B Blocks in the Dutch section of the North Sea (among

from the A12 Platform. If the platform is manned, it can also be

others A12, A18 & B13) are located approximately 300 kilometres

controlled from the A18 Platform Control Room.

from Den Helder (the Netherlands). These blocks contain

considerable volumes of low pressure (30-60 bar), almost pure

The design of the A18 Platform has multiple similarities with

methane gas at relatively shallow depths (245-750 metres). The A12

the design of the B13 Platform. The B13 Platform was designed

and B13 fields have been in production since December 2007 and

by Iv-Oil & Gas in 2008-2009. In particular the composition of

December 2011 respectively.

the gas, the pressure and production capacity of both fields are
comparable.
Process Facilities
The A18 Platform is an under construction Gas Production
Platform. It will be located on top of a shallow gas field. The
pressure in the reservoir is relatively low and the gas is very
clean. The latter is advantageous in that minimum process
equipment is necessary. The produced gas will be sent to the
A12 Platform through a 33 kilometre long pipeline, where the
gas will be treated before it is exported to shore.
Initially, three wells will be connected on the platform with an
option for a future well. The gas coming from the different wells
will be collected in the production manifold. The wells will be
checked for sand production on a regular basis by routing the
gas per individual well through a test filter. In order to prevent
hydrates from forming in the pipeline, methanol can be injected

For a long period of time, it was rendered not economically viable

into the pipeline before it is produced for the A12 Platform.

to develop these shallow gas fields. Although the drilling costs

Hydrates (crystallisation of water with other compounds) can

are lower due to the shallowness of the field, more compressor

build up as a result of the cooling of the gas in the pipeline

capacity is needed in order to be able to transport the gas to shore.

during operation. This can cause blocking in the pipeline.

Additionally, the shallow gas fields, or marginal fields, are smaller

The A18 Platform

In May 2014, Petrogas E&P Netherlands awarded the EPCI Contract for the
A18 Platform to HSM Offshore. HSM Offshore then contracted Iv-Oil & Gas
as the Engineering partner in this project. Iv-Oil & Gas will also perform
the Procurement Services for the A18 Platform. The shop drawings will
be produced by Iv-Consult on behalf of Iv-Oil & Gas. HSM Offshore is
responsible for the Construction and Installation of the platform.

than the fields located much deeper in the earth. As a result, the

A small amount of the gas will be used by the Fuel Gas

total production of the shallow fields is less than that of the deeper

Conditioning Skid. This will condition the gas to prepare it as

fields.

fuel for the microturbines on the platform. These will each

generate 65 kilowatts of electricity, which will be used for the

Over the last few years, several technical developments have led to

main power supply of the A18 Platform.

a cost reduction in the development of shallow gas fields. The Dutch

government has also introduced various arrangements to stimulate

The platform is also equipped with a Sphere Launcher, which

the development of these fields. Furthermore, the gas price has

is used for the cleaning and inspection of the pipeline. On

increased over the years. This all contributes to the improved

a regular basis, a sphere will be launched into the pipeline

economic profitability of developing the shallow gas fields.

towards the A12 Platform. The sphere will be pushed by gas

pressure to the A12 Platform and will remove fluids and sand

A18 Platform

with it. On the A12 Platform, the sphere will enter the Sphere

The A18 Production Platform is designed to function as a Normally

Receiver.

Unmanned Installation. In the first phase, the platform will be

manned to perform the hook-up, commissioning and the start-up.

The jacket and topside are designed such that minimal

As soon as the platform achieves stable production, the facility

maintenance is required. The production and utility processes

will be de-manned and thereafter visited three days a month for

are designed to minimise the environmental impact.

maintenance and operational activities. The platform is accessible

by helicopter.
The Living Quarters will be designed for eight people. This will
be fully utilised during the first phase described above. During

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Oil & Gas

A12-CPP

Planning

The A12 Platform is the Central Process Platform (CPP) where the

In May 2014, Iv-Oil & Gas multidisciplinary project team started with

gas streams of the A12 Platform, B13 Platform and soon the

the engineering of the A18 Platform. The design is expected to be

A18 Platform will be gathered and compressed to export pressure .

finished in May 2015. In November 2014, HSM Offshore started with

This gas is then injected into the NOGAT Pipeline to shore. In 2005

the prefabrication and construction of the platform.

and 2006, Iv-Oil & Gas was closely involved in the engineering of the
A12-CPP.

The Sail Away is currently planned for August 2015. After the
installation and commissioning period, First Gas, by completing

The purpose of the A18 Platform is to guarantee the continuity of

the first well, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2015. This will

gas flow to the A12-CPP via the tie-in to the existing production

be followed by the simultaneous drilling of the other wells and

system.

producing gas from the first well.

Technical data:
Dimensions
Topside (lxwxh):

25 x 17 x 15 m

Jacket (lxwxh):

24 x 29 x 61 m (base)

Ventboom:

14 m

Weight
Topside:

1080 T (Lifting Weight) /

1110 T (Operational)

Jacket:

1360 T

Challenges

Gas Pressure:

50 bar

Iv-Oil & Gas has faced some technical challenges in this project.

Gas Temperature: 15oC

First, it is a short track project, which means that the engineering,

procurement activities, implementation of vendor Information

Water Depth:

44.5 m

and construction are performed almost in parallel. Iv-Oil & Gas has

Gas Capacity:

70 MMSCFD

executed the B13 project with a level of high client satisfaction.

Iv-Oil & Gas wants to achieve the same level for the A18 Project.

Sander Landkroon
Project Manager, Iv-Oil & Gas
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