Clipper South Gas Flows to UK's Bacton

Shell has started to supply natural gas from the Ineos and Spirit Energy-owned Clipper South field into the UK gas network via the Shell Expro Clipper hub in the southern North Sea, it said November 22.

Under a new commercial agreement with Ineos and Spirit Energy, the Anglo-Dutch supermajor is remotely operating the Clipper South field and transporting the gas through the Clipper hub for processing at its Bacton terminal in Norfolk. The gas is then fed into the UK's National Grid gas transmission system.  Shell Expro is 50-50% owned by Shell (as operator) and ExxonMobil.

The unmanned Clipper South platform had relied upon the Lincolnshire Offshore Gas Gathering System (Loggs) and Theddlethorpe gas terminal to transport its gas to shore, but these were permanently closed in August 2018. The new Clipper hub- to-Bacton route built by Ineos will help ensure its continued operation after the planned decommissioning of those assets, Shell said.

“Our Clipper hub and upgraded terminal at Bacton are helping to maximise the recovery of gas from the UK North Sea,” said ONEGas, the Netherlands-based Shell-Exxon joint venture that manages their UK southern basin assets. “We are keen to partner with other companies on similar agreements to help supply gas to homes and businesses across the country.”  (ONEGas should not be confused with the entirely separate Dutch independent oil and gas producer Orange-Nassau Energie, or ONE BV)

Shell and ExxonMobil completed a £300mn ($386mn) rejuvenation project at the Bacton gas terminal in 2017, enabling it to handle more gas from offshore fields. The Clipper hub is located 66 km from the Norfolk coast and can transport up to 400mn ft³/day.