Liverpool Bay Oil & Gas Production
On January 17th 1996, BHP Petroleum and its partners produced the first oil from Britain's west coast, in the Liverpool Bay sector of the Irish Sea. Just one month earlier, the £1.1 billion development successfully produced its first gas.
 Douglas Complex - Click for larger image |
The development has resulted in construction-related contracts worth more than £45 million being placed within the local region. Around 40% of the companies supplying goods and services to the project are based within Merseyside and North Wales. A significant proportion of the £60 million-per-year operating costs of the development are spent locally.
Visit the BHP Billiton Petroleum Liverpool Bay Webpage
Introduction to the Oil & Gas Fields
The Liverpool Bay oil and gas fields were formed millions of years ago by decaying plants and microscopic animals, when the area was swampland.
The reserves are trapped in pore spaces beneath a layer of Mercia Mudstone, between 800 and 1,100 metres below the sea bed. As the reserves are extracted, water beneath the oil and gas fills the gap.
The fields were discovered following seismic surveys, using ships equipped with sonar to map the geology of the area, followed by test drillings. To date, four fields have been found and exploration in the area is continuing.
Oil produced by the fields is known as 'Liverpool Blend', a light paraffinic crude with low sulphur content which is sold on the world oil markets after part-processing at the Douglas Complex. Both gas and oil production are centred on the Douglas platform, which is linked to satellite production platforms and the shore by subsea pipelines. The gas is sold to the Powergen combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station at Connah's Quay, Flintshire, after processing at the Point of Ayr terminal, which is located several miles east of Prestatyn.
Oil & Gas Production from the Fields
There are currently five fields:
 Oil and Gas Fields - Click for larger image |
The hub of production is the 54m high Douglas Complex, consisting of three linked platforms: an accommodation platform which houses personnel; a processing platform which collects output from all the fields and separates oil, gas and water; and a wellhead tower for extracting oil from the Douglas oil field. The Douglas Complex is also the control centre for the offshore development, monitoring activity in each field and providing power for all platforms. It offers catering, recreational and medical facilities for up to 80 people.
Lennox, Hamilton and Hamilton North are unmanned satellite production platforms, connected to the Douglas Complex by pipelines, power lines and communications systems.
| Liverpool Bay Milestones | |
| 1989 | Exploration Begins |
| 1990 | Hamilton Gas Field Discovered |
| 1990 | Douglas Oil Field Discovered |
| 1991 | Hamilton North Gas Field Discovered |
| 1992 | Lennox Oil and Gas Field Discovered |
| 1993 | Hamilton East Gas Field Discovered |
| 1995 | Hamilton North Gas Production Commences |
| 1996 | Hamilton Gas Production Commences |
| 1996 | Douglas Oil Production Commences |
| 1996 | Lennox Oil Production Commences |
| 1996 | First Contract Gas Sales |
| 2001 | Hamilton East Gas Production Commences |
| 2002 (anticipated) | Lennox Gas Production Commences |
Equipment and working practices offshore are designed to meet, and often exceed, the most stringent safety regulations based on the prevention of incidents and rapid and effective response to all contingencies which might arise. All platforms are patrolled round-the-clock by duty vessels equipped for emergencies and are protected against other vessels by radar-controlled 500m exclusion zones. Each platform is fitted with firefighting and evacuation equipment, and sophisticated safety monitoring devices, linked to the central control room. Offshore facilities are supported by a fleet of vessels based at the permanently-manned BHP Billiton Supply Base at Hornby Dock, Liverpool. Air support is provided by Bond Helicopters which transports personnel from nearby Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Vessels and aircraft are equipped for the containment and treatment of spillages, and for emergency evacuation, in addition to their transport and supply roles. Detailed risk assessment of the Liverpool Bay Development estimates the risk of a major spill (1000 tonnes or more) caused by a ship collision or well blowout at one in 10,000 years. In the past 20 years, during which more than 2,000 wells have been drilled in UK waters, there have been no well blowouts.
Oil produced in Liverpool Bay is sent by a 17km pipeline from the Douglas Complex to the Offshore Storage Installation (OSI). This is a purpose-built barge which is permanently anchored outside shipping lanes to serve as a floating oil terminal, capable of holding up to 870,000 barrels of oil. Oil is then transferred to shuttle tankers, which are chosen following a rigorous approvals procedure and controlled by BHP Billiton pilots whilst visiting the OSI. The OSI is double-skinned, with oil compartments surrounded by seawater ballast tanks 4.8 metres wide. It is permanently manned, attended by its own 12,000 horsepower tug and a high-speed patrol boat, as well as being protected by an 800 metre exclusion zone.
Point of Ayr Gas Terminal
The Point of Ayr terminal's purpose is to process gas extracted by the Liverpool Bay platforms. The gas is then supplied to the Powergen combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station, which went into operation at Connah's Quay in July 1996. The terminal is designed to provide the power station with all the gas it needs to generate 1,400 megawatts of electricity - enough for 1,400,000 people. Surplus gas is sold into the TRANSCO UK distribution network.
 Point of Ayr Terminal |
BHP Billiton operates a reception facility for the gas arriving at the power station, where it is "polished" to remove any dust and fed into the plant's four gas turbines. The reception facility is operated directly from the central control room at Point of Ayr, which also monitors the safety and integrity of operations in and around the processing plant and along the entire pipeline. Noise and atmospheric conditions are monitored continually at different points around the site before operations are started. The results are are sent to the local authority after independent analysis.
The terminal's safety systems include detectors for toxic gas, flammable gas, smoke, heat, flames, leaks and pressure changes, with equipment and procedures in place to close the whole process down rapidly if necessary. If a key piece of monitoring equipment stops functioning, the operation shuts down automatically.
The terminal employs around 60 people and is permanently staffed, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The whole development was designed to ensure low visual and environmental impact. Two thirds of the 38ha Point of Ayr site have been developed as an environmental amenity, to balance the industrial development. Two wetland areas have been created as roosting areas for wading birds, which have been re-introduced to the area, along with Natterjack toads. There has also been extensive landscaping and screening.
Reasons for locating at Point of Ayr were:
The Pipeline
300km of offshore pipelines are buried 0.8 metres under the sea bed and 2 metres beneath Talacre Beach.
27km of onshore pipeline is buried 1.2 metres beneath the surface. It is inspected every week by vehicle, every 2 weeks by helicopter and annually, by foot. The land pipeline has been tested for leaks at six times its normal operating pressure of 500psi.
Point of Ayr Visitor Centre
BHP Billiton Petroleum developed a Visitor Centre at Point of Ayr to enable local communities, schools and members of the public to find out about oil and gas production in and around Liverpool Bay. Featuring:
 Visitor Centre Location |
The BHP Billiton Visitor Centre is close to the village of Talacre, less than half a mile from the A548. A lecture theatre is available for school party use and the building has disabled access. There is an excellent archive of material related to the site and to the oil and gas industry available to students and teachers.
Ample car parking is provided and special tours of the centre and its surroundings for school parties and other groups can be arranged by appointment. A Teachers' Pack with ideas on how to get the best out of the Visitor Centre and the local environment is available on request in both English and Welsh.
You can contact the Visitor Centre on Tel.: (01745) 881301 or Fax: (01745) 881304.
Wind and Tidal Power
The area off the coast of Prestatyn has been labelled as one of the prime sites in Britain for the development of windfarms. One of the reasons for this is the fact that there is a fairly strong and constant offshore wind, allowing all-year electrical generation. Also however, the sea depth is generally suitable - for instance, there is a 12m mean depth at the North Hoyle site, and there are appropriate seabed properties for foundation works and subsea cables. There is a relatively low exposure to large waves from the predominant wind direction (SW/W). Finally, there are good opportunities for a local connection to the National Grid, local port facilities for construction and operations, and no significant environmental concerns. Many of these advantages also apply to tidal power, as does the fact that North Wales has a huge tidal range of 9 metres.
At present, only 3% of UK electricity comes from renewable energy sources. The Government wishes to increase this proportion and is offering substantial tax breaks to renewable energy developments.
A free public information seminar on North Wales Offshore Wind Power Developments will be held at the Nova Centre by the Institution of Electrical Engineers on Wednesday 24th September 2003 at 7pm.
1. North Hoyle Offshore Windfarm Project
- National Wind Power (NWP) is currently developing a windfarm on a site called North Hoyle, four miles off Prestatyn
- Approval for the scheme was received from the Department of Trade and Industry in July 2002, following submission of the plans in February 2002
- The company began construction in Spring 2003 and the aim is to start generating power this autumn
- The project entails building 30 wind turbines and will be Britain's biggest offshore windfarm
- Permission has been granted for three electricity cables to run from the offshore turbines to the existing Manweb substation at Cefndy Road in Rhyl
- When fully operational, the scheme will produce enough electricity (60MW) for at least 50,000 homes, equivalent to one third of all the homes in Denbighshire, Flintshire and Conwy
- The cost of the project is estimated at £60m
- 12 full-time jobs will be created in the maintenance and running of the windfarm
- 50 short-term jobs will be created in the construction of the windfarm
- NWP has insisted it believes in recruiting from the local population as much as possible
- The North Hoyle project is backed by Greenpeace
- NWP along with energy company npower launched a project last year called Juice, enabling customers to purchase environmentally-friendly electricity
- Tourism and educational facilities and possible boat trips could be developed in conjunction with and to complement North Hoyle
- The company behind the North Hoyle Project, NWP, is based in Buckinghamshire
2. Rhyl Flats Offshore Windfarm Project
http://www.natwindpower.co.uk/pressreleases/rhylflats.htm
Representative View of the Rhyl Flats Development
from Central Beach - Click for larger image
- National Wind Power (NWP) has completed the purchase from Celtic Offshore Wind Limited (COWL) of their interest in a proposed offshore wind farm at Rhyl Flats, some six to seven miles off the coast of Abergele
- Approval for the scheme was received from the Department of Trade and Industry in December 2002, following submission of the plans in March 2002
- The project was initially developed by COWL, a consortium between Edison Mission Energy and the Renewable Development Company (RDC). RDC were responsible for developing the project and obtaining the statutory consents, and will continue to provide support to NWP in progressing aspects of the development of this project
- NWP will now consider how best to complete development of the Rhyl Flats project
- The plans involve 30 turbines, the capacity of which would be greater than those at North Hoyle, generating enough electricity for 105,000 homes a year
- The cost of the project has been estimated at £90m to £150m
- Around 10 full-time jobs would be created for the 20 year lifetime of the farm
- 60 short-term jobs would be created during the building of the project
3. Tidal Electric's Tidal Power Scheme
- Tidal Electric (TE) wants to build a hollow island of more than 20 square miles, with the closest point a mile from the coast
- The island works as follows: At high tide the water floods into the hollow island through the turbines until it is full. The water is kept inside until low tide, and then it is allowed to flood out through the turbines
- The United Nations will part-fund the environmental assessment
- Should the plans come to fruition, it will be the largest renewable energy scheme in Britain and the first of its kind in the World
- The scheme would generate a seventh of Wales' electricity
- The cost of the project is estimated at £500m
- There would be opportunities to turn the scheme into a vast tourist and educational attraction, with a marina and other such developments
- The island would also act as a huge coastal sea defence
- Original plans hoped building could start as early as 2003, but this now seems unlikely as the project has 'gone quiet' while further developments are made
  
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Virtual Prestatyn Website Prestatyn Business Association, Tai Tywyn Business Centre, Sandy Lane, Prestatyn, LL19 7SF, UK. Tel. +44 (0)1745 887755 Fax +44 (0)1745 889704 E-mail mail@prestatyn.org.uk | |||
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