Summary

In 1974 North Cormorant field accumulations were discovered by Shell U.K. The
field was initially owned by Shell U.K and Esso until 2008 when TAQA Britani
purchased it, along with several other North Sea assets. The purchase included all
equity, associated infrastructure and production licenses.
The North Cormorant platform was installed in 1981 and production commenced the
following year . It is a single fixed platform with steel jacket. The platform has two
production trains for separation of oil, gas and water. It has the design capacity to
process around 180,000 barrels of crude a day. The processed oil from North
Cormorant platform is sent to TAQA's Cormorant Alpha platform located in the South
Cormorant field. The oil is transported via the Brent System Oil Pipeline to the
Sullom Voe terminal for sale.
North Cormorant production rate was highest in its early years, rapidly increasing
from 1982 up until 1984 where production rates peaked. Productions rates then started
to decline sharply until 1991 when they reached a plateau. The decline was caused by
the reservoir pressure dropping off quickly, due to weak aquifer support.
Up until the exchange of operator in 2008 Shell U.K and Esso carried out a number of
developments in order to maintain reservoir production. Shell and Esso had more
profitable projects to concentrate on, so subsequently sold a number of their North
Sea assets to the smaller company TAQA. This included the whole Cormorant field.
Since ownership TAQA has been carrying out a number of development strategies
aimed at increasing production. Simultaneously upgrading platform facilities.
Introduction
The Cormorant field is located 95 miles northeast of the Shetland Islands at a depth of
about 500 ft in the U.K. North Sea. It was discovered by exploration well 211/26-1 in
1972; the fifth field to be discovered in the Northern North Sea. It straddles blocks
211/21a and 211/26a and is made up of four discrete accumulations spread along a
major N-S trending fault terrace. Oil is produced from the sandstones belonging to the
Brent Group. The sedimentary rocks comprising the Brent Group were deposited in a
fluvial-wave dominated delta system during the Middle Jurassic. The reservoir has a
typical gross thickness of 250-300 ft, locally increasing to 550 ft over faults active
during sedimentation. Reservoir porosity varies from 16-28%, with average
permeability ranging from tens of md to 1300md. The accumulation contains highly
under-saturated crude (34-36 API ) oil which was initially over pressurised by some
1000-1270 psi. (Gluyas, J.G, 2003)

Exploration and Appraisal

Initially Cormorant South (Block1) was discovered by a Shell exploration well in
1972. Four intervals within the Brent sandstone were tested at flow rates of up to
7,800 barrels/day of 36 API oil. Between 1973 and 1977 a total of eight exploration
and appraisal wells were drilled on the Cormorant field proving the remaining
accumulations in blocks 2, 3 and 4. In 1974 exploration well 211/21a-2 discovered the
Cormorant North accumulation. Oil reserves estimated in place for the North
Cormorant field was just over 1,000 million barrels. (Wood Mackenzie 2003)
Development
The North Cormorant platform is located between the north and central
accumulations. The installation can cater for a maximum of up to 214 personnel. It
consists of an eight-legged steel jacket sub-structure, anchored by piles to the seabed.
The Module Support Frame, which is attached to the jacket, acts as a base support for
two levels of modules. The platform also has separation, compression, injection and
generation facilities. There is a single drilling rig. The platform has J-tubes for
flowlines from up to 18 subsea satellites
Development began in 1978 with installation of the South Cormorant platform,
followed by the North Cormorant platform in 1981. The area between the two
platforms was developed with subsea technology.. A single-satellite well P-1 began
production in 1981, and an underwater manifold center was installed in 1982.
When the North Cormorant platform was installed the size and shape of the
hydrocarbon accumulations were not clear and it was decided to use a conventional
platform along with an under water passive distribution manifold in order to provide
injection support in south of block 4. Once the PDM was installed it proved poor
injection indexes when it was tested. This was due to the reservoir properties. The
PDM was no longer considered a practical project. As an alternative highly deviated
injection wells were drilled from the platform. The platform has pre-curved
conductors to allow for the earlier well deviation, increasing reservoir coverage by up
to 20%. Initially the production wells saw a rapid drop in pressure confirming a lack
of aquifer support. In 1985, three appraisal wells were drilled which were retained as
possible recompletion candidates for water injection. (Wood Mackenzie 2003).
The North Cormorant platform has 40 slots on the deck, the last of which was used in
1995. Since then, as per the revised development plan, the only economic option has
been to sidetrack wells, with a high water cut to other targets within the field, in order
to recover bypassed oil. Developing additional reserves. By 2001 a total of 42 oil
producers and 20 water injectors had been drilled and completed from the platform. In
addition there have been 11 geological sidetracks, mostly required due to the proposed
well not penetrating a sufficient reservoir section as a result of a fault cut out.

For development purposes the whole Cormorant field was split in half; north and
south. The northern part is developed by the North Cormorant platform and the
southern part the south platform.
On 7 July 2008 TAQA Britani Ltd purchased several North Sea assets. The purchase
included all equity, associated infrastructure and production licenses relating to the
Tern, Eider, Cormorant North, South Cormorant, Kestrel and Pelican fields. The
420-million investment allowed for a number of projects designed to revive
production from these facilities and extend economic field life into 2020 and beyond.
(Taqa)
Within two years of taking over, oil production from the fields including Cormorant
North, increased from below 25,000 bbl/d in 2008 to 40,000 bbl/d, Some of this was
due to the re-establishment of the dormant drilling rigs on the North Cormorant
platform which led to five infill wells being drilled last year on the North Cormorant
field. (Gluyas, J.G, 2003)
In 2011 North Cormorant underwent a integrated control system replacement along
with water injection upgrades. This year, TAQA gained FDP approval and announced
that they aim to drill 2 new platform production wells into the North Cormorant Block
4 field. During the same drilling campaign 1 appraisal well will be performed on the
Cormorant East field, also drilled from the North Cormorant platform. The second
North Cormorant production well will be dependent upon the results from the
Cormorant East appraisal well. Should the appraisal well into Cormorant East
demonstrate a deep contact and well developed Brent sequence and if the FDP is
approved, then the appraisal well will be completed and a further injection well into
Cormorant East will be drilled. These activities will be performed at the expense of
the second North Cormorant production well. (Offshore Technology 2014)
The processed oil from North Cormorant platform is sent to TAQA's Cormorant
Alpha platform located in the South Cormorant field. The oil is then transported via
the Brent System Oil Pipeline to the Sullom Voe terminal for sale

Summary of the main events in the development of North Cormorant field

Year

Event

1972

Blocks 211/21 and 211/26 awarded to shell and Esso. 211/21-21

discovery well drilled into block 1.

1974

Cormorant North field accumulations discovered. (Block 4) discovered

by well 211/21-2

1975

Block 3 discovered by well 211/213s1

1979

First 3D seismic survey required

1981

North Cormorant platform installed

1982

Oil production started

1983

Water injection started

1984

Second 3D seismic survey acquired

1984

Peak production at 122655 BBL/D

1991

New year storm caused structural damage to the platform. (lost part of
the passive fire protection). Production shut down for around 6 weeks
in April and May. Third 3D seismic survey required.

1995

Secondary development based on drilling sidetracks from existing

wells in order to recover bypassed oil. Developing additional reserves.

2008

On 7 July TAQA Britani Ltd purchased several North Sea The

purchase included all equity, associated infrastructure and production
licenses relating to the Tern, Eider, Cormorant North, South Cormorant,
Kestrel and Pelican fields and related sub-sea satellite fields assets from
Shell U.K. and Esso

2010

Reinstatement of the dormant drilling rig leading to five infill wells

being drilled

2011

North Cormorant underwent a Integrated control system replacement

along with water injection upgrades.

2014

North Cormorant latest project started. (See development above)

2018

Production licence expires

(Gluyas, J.G, 2003)

Production
North Cormorant commenced production in February 1982. Liquids production has
been disappointing. Although flow and production rate was initially good the
reservoir pressure rapidly dropped. To counter this the drilling programme was altered
to include more water injection wells at an earlier stage. This had a consequence of
lowering North Cormorants production peak production from 122,655 barrels/day
1984 to 106,000 barrels/day in 1985. There after production continued to decline until
it reached at plateau of 30,000 barrels/day in 1991.
North Cormorant produces gas volumes in association with its oil. It started gas
production in 1982. It produced around 40mmcfd at peak. After fuel requirements
sales volumes are much less than this and peak sales production of 29mmcfd occurred
in 1986. (Wood Mackenzie 2003)
Oil and gas production from the Cormorant area was severely limited on 8 th April
1989. This was due to a gas leak on the Alpha platform. The accident occurred during
the time an emergency shut down valve was being installed on the gas export line that
leaves Cormorant Alpha. Gas production from Cormorant had been cut and a plug
fitted to the severed line during installation of the ESV. The plug became dislodged
resulting in the gas leak at the top of the C4 leg of the platform. An explosion took
place but no fire occurred along with no casualties. The Brent pipeline system which
pass through the C4 leg, before leaving for St Fergus were immediately shut down.
Production from all Cormorant fields recommenced 6 weeks later. (Offshore
technology 2011)
During 1991 a new year storm caused structural damage to the Cormorant North
platform. Causing it to lose a part of the passive fire protection. Production shut down
for around 6 weeks in April and May. (Gluyas, J.G, 2003)
As shown in the graph below. Oil production slipped steadily from a peak of
6,258.499 bbls/yr of oil in 1986 to below 522,488 bbls/yr in 2008. When TAQA
Britani took charge they initially broke the decline slightly increasing production to
641,758 in 2010. During 2011 and 2012 production dropped again to 463, 419bbls/yr.
In 2013 there was a slight increase in production to 509,516 bbls/yr. (Decca 2014)
Due to the current development by TAQA production is estimated to
increase.

North Cormorant Key Facts

Location
Producing Horizon
Water Depth
Blocks
Operator
Participants
Platform Type
Discovery Date
Production Started
Peak Oil Production
Peak Gas Production
Hydrocarbon Quality

North Sea, East Shetland Basin

Middle Jurassic, Bajocian
161m
211/21a 211/26a
TAQA
TAQA
Fixed Jacket
August 1974
1982
1984
1986
Gravity (API) 33.8-36
GOR (sct/bbl) = 224-770
Viscosity (cp) = 0.6-1.2

(Taqa 2014)

Map

References
Cormorant East - Offshore Technology. 2014. Cormorant East - Offshore Technology.
[ONLINE] Available at: http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/cormoranteast/
Cormorant oilfield - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2014. Cormorant oilfield Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant_oilfield. [Accessed 21 October 2014].
Decca. 2014 Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Gluyas, J.G, 2003. United Kingdom Oil and Gas Fields. 1st ed. USA: The Geological
Society of London
Home - OnePetro. 2014. Home - OnePetro. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.onepetro.org/
Mackenzie, Wood Mackenzie, 2003. Cormorant. UK Upstream Service
TAQA . 2014. TAQA . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.taqaglobal.com.
[Accessed 21 October 2014].

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