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Brent Geography

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The Brent Field is located 186km north east of the Shetland Islands

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Key Dates

Flag Icon 1971 Brent Field discovered
Oil Drop Icon 1987 Brent produces its one billionth barrel of oil - this is enough to fuel 1.2 billion mid-sized cars
Meeting Icon 2007 First stakeholder event held
Oil Drop Icon 1976 Brent Bravo is the first platform in the Brent Field to begin production
Downward Arrow Icon 2006 Decommissioning project established
Wrench Icon 2014 All wells on Brent Delta sealed and the platform is declared hydrocarbon-free
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Key Dates

1971

1976

1987

2001

2006

2014

Brent Field discovered

Brent Bravo is the first platform in the Brent Field to begin production

Brent produces its one billionth barrel of oil - this is enough to fuel 1.2 billion mid-sized cars

Brent Field celebrates its silver jubilee

Decommissioning project established

All wells on Brent Delta sealed and the platform is declared hydrocarbon-free

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Map of Brent Field

The Brent Field is located 186km north east of the Shetland Islands.

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1971

  • Shell drills discovery well 186km north east of Lerwick, Shetland.

1972

  • Discovery of the Brent Field announced.

1975

  • Brent Bravo platform is installed.

1976

  • Brent Alpha jacket installed.
  • Brent Spar installed.
  • Brent Bravo begins production in November and a month later the first tanker loads crude oil at the Brent Spar.
  • Brent Delta platform installed.

1977

  • St Fergus and Mossmorran pipelines built.
  • First production from Brent Delta.

1978

  • Brent Alpha production begins.
  • Brent Charlie platform installed.

1979

  • Western leg gas line between Cormorant Alpha and Brent Bravo platforms complete.
  • Brent oil pumped to Sullom Voe via Comorant Alpha.

1981

  • Brent Charlie production starts.

1981

  • Brent Charlie production starts.

1982

  • Brent Field production peaks at 504,000 barrels of oil and 26.6 million cubic metres of gas per day.
  • First gas from Brent received at St Fergus Gas Plant.

1987

  • Brent produces its one billionth barrel of oil.

1991-1994

  • Brent Spar ceases operating.
  • Studies and plans are underway to look at how best to decommission Brent Spar.

1993

  • £1.3 billion Brent Redevelopment Project announced, switching
    from oil to gas production.

1994

  • 3000 man years worked offshore during this four year period - equivalent to over 5 million man hours.
  • The Spar decommissioning programme is submitted.
    Approved by the UK Government with a recommendation to dispose of Brent Spar in deep water, however, this programme was withdrawn due to public reaction.

1995

  • Brent Bravo resumes production after redevelopment.

1996

  • Stakeholder consultations begin in London for decommissioning of Brent Spar.
  • Brent Charlie is redeveloped within the year.

1997

  • Brent redevelopment complete finishing with Brent Delta.

1998

  • The decommissioning programme for Brent Spar is resubmitted to the UK Government.
  • The proposal is for Brent Spar to be to be re-used as a quay in Norway.

1999

  • Work begins to form the base of the new quay using Brent Spar.
  • Stakeholder consultation draws to a close for Brent Spar.

2000

  • Record low temperatures of -34°C and snowstorms are reported in the Brent Field - this is almost as cold as winter in the Arctic

    First female offshore installation manager (OIM) in the UKCS is appointed.

    McKinsey benchmarking identifies Brent as the highest performing in the North Sea field in terms of production and costs.

2001

  • Brent Alpha drills wells in excess of 23,000ft 23,000ft long.
  • The Brent Field celebrates its Silver Jubilee.

2006

  • Brent decommissioning project established.

2007

  • Shell set up an independent review group to objectively review all the scientific and engineering methods used to decommission the Brent Field.
  • Stakeholder engagement for the field's decommissioning begins with meetings in London and Aberdeen.

2008

  • Stakeholder events are held in Aberdeen and London.

2009

  • Brent eNews is established for regular updates on the project. This is in addition to any specific emails to communicate major milestones.
  • Stakeholder events are held in Aberdeen and London.

2010

  • Stakeholder events are held in Aberdeen and London.
  • The Wood Group PSN are awarded the contract to provide support for Brent decommissioning activity on the Delta platform.

2011

  • The Environmental Impact
    Assessment (EIA) Scoping Report
    is made available defining the scope of the decommissioning project.
  • Stakeholder events are held in Aberdeen and London.
  • Production at Brent Delta is stopped and the platform begins preparation work for decommissioning.

2012

  • A Cell Management Stakeholder Task Group (CMSTG) is formed allowing stakeholders in depth insight into cell contents options.

2013

  • The final stakeholder group looking at cell content management is held. This allows stakeholders to review the modelling they had previously completed and look at new information that has been made available over the last 12 months.

    Stakeholder events are held in Aberdeen and London to discuss the emerging options and recommendations for the project.
  • Allseas are awarded a contract for “single lift” vessel

    This means that the top of the platform - the area on top of the legs - will be lifted in one large piece and taken to shore on the vessel for reuse and recycling. This technology includes the Alpha, Bravo and Delta topsides as well as the Alpha Jacket structure.

2014

  • Able UK in Hartlepool are awarded the recycling contract for the Brent Delta topsides with a target of 97% recycling of topsides.
  • All wells on Brent Delta sealed and the platform is declared reservoir hydrocarbon free. This means that there is no longer any oil or gas being produced on the platform - a key stage in the decommissioning process.
  • Cessation of production on Alpha and Bravo.

2015

  • Submission of the Brent Delta topside Decommissioning Programme to Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) for public consultation
  • Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) approve the Brent Delta topside Decommissioning Programme.

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