Atlantic and Cromarty
Shell Global LNG Limited has submitted, for consideration of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the draft Decommissioning Programmes (Part 1) for the Atlantic and Cromarty Fields in accordance with the provisions of the Petroeum Act 1998. It is a requirement of the Act that interested parties be consulted on such decommissioning proposals.
The Atlantic and Cromarty Fields are located in the outer Moray Forth in UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) Blocks 14/26a, 20/1 (north) and 13/30a. The Fields are both approximately 67km northeast of the St Fergus Gas Terminal in the north east Aberdeenshire coast and approximately 144km and 154km from the median line with Norway, respectively.
Shell Global LNG Limited (Shell) operates the Atlantic Field and Hess Limited (Hess) operates the Cromarty Field. Shell operates the joint facilities that serve both Fields. Shell is submitting the Cromarty Decommissioning Programmes on behalf of Hess.
Atlantic and Cromarty Decommissioning Programmes
In 2016, Decommissioning Programmes for the Atlantic and Cromarty Fields were submitted for public consultation by BG Global Energy Limited (now Shell Global LNG Limited). During this consultation, the Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage community requested that decommissioning proposals for the gas export pipeline PL2029 were put on hold to allow further investigation of the repurposing potential of the line to support CO2 reinjection. The Decommissioning Programmes were therefore put on hold and the pipelines remained in the Interim Pipeline Regime.
Since the initial public consultation in 2016, all credible opportunities for the wells and installations have been exhausted. However, repurposing options for the export pipeline were the subject of further repurposing assessments. To progress decommissioning of the offshore infrastructure excluding the export pipeline in a timely manner, per regulatory requirements, Shell has agreed with OPRED to split the Decommissioning Programmes for the Atlantic & Cromarty Fields. This document outlines the decommissioning proposals for the Atlantic and Cromarty installations and pipelines up to but excluding the tie-in flanges for the gas export pipeline PL2029 and piggybacked MEG import pipeline PL2031. The remaining sections of these pipelines, along with the associated stabilisation features, will be the subject of a separate Programme to be submitted at a later date.
The Atlantic and Cromarty Draft Decommissioning Programmes (Part 1) covers:
- Installations and subsea infrastructure associated with the Atlantic Field, comprising of the Atlantic Manifold, Atlantic Production Pipeline up to the pipeline tie-in flange, Atlantic MEG Pipeline up to the pipeline tie-in flange, Atlantic Umbilical and associated tie-in spools, jumpers and stabilisation features.
- Installations and subsea infrastructure associated with the Cromarty Field, comprising the Cromarty Production Pipeline, the Cromarty MEG Pipeline, the Cromarty Umbilical and associated stabilisation features.
Public Consultation opened 20 November 2025 and will close on 9 January 2026. For any queries, please email SUKEP-Shell-Decommissioning-Correspondence@shell.com
The Draft Decommissioning Programmes are available for download on the Shell decommissioning website - https://www.shell.co.uk/about-us/sustainability/decommissioning.html
