Field celebrates first gas

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 18, 2004

The Goldeneye gas condensate field in the Outer Moray Firth has pumped its first gas to the UK national grid.

On 11th November, 2004, in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal, Foster Wheeler Energy joined Shell UK in the celebration of the successful achievement of first gas throughput from the Goldeneye gas condensate field in the Outer Moray Firth, 100km north of St Fergus, Aberdeenshire, on the North-east coast of Scotland, to the national grid via the new onshore reception facilities at the Shell gas plant, St Fergus.

Operational gas throughput is estimated to be some 330 million standard cubic feet of gas and associated liquids a day.

Condensate is also recovered and piped to the Shell Mossmorran gas fractionation plant.

"Foster Wheeler is delighted to have been involved in this exciting and successful development project which will produce three per cent of Britain's entire gas demand", said Steve Davies, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Foster Wheeler Energy.

"We are proud to play a major role, carrying out engineering, procurement and managing the construction of the prestigious new onshore facilities and integrating them successfully into the existing Shell gas plant operational modules".

Engineering and procurement activities, which started in 2002, were executed from Foster Wheeler's project execution centre in Glasgow and construction was completed at a UK module yard in addition to the St Fergus site.

Kieron McFadyen, Technical Director for Shell Exploration and Production in Europe commented: "The GBP 300 million Goldeneye project has commenced production safely, on time and on budget, demonstrating world-class project delivery".

On site, Foster Wheeler managed over 1.4 million man hours to construct the gas condensate onshore processing facilities, without a lost time injury.

This is a creditable performance which was recently highlighted by its receipt of an Award for Safety in Engineering Construction from the UK's National Joint Council for the Engineering Construction Industry which recognises excellence in terms of effort and achievement.