Miller oilfield

The Miller oilfield is a deep reservoir under the North Sea, 240 kilometres northeast of Peterhead in UKCS Blocks 16/7b and 16/8b. It was discovered in 1982 by BP in a water depth of 100 metres. Production from Miller field started in June 1992, and plateau production was from late 1992 to 1997 at rates of up to 150,000 barrels (24,000 m³) of oil and 255 mmscf of gas per day. Miller produced some 345 million barrels (54,900,000 m³) of oil during its lifetime.

The Miller field reached the end of its economic oil and gas producing life in 2007 when Cessation of Production (CoP) approval was received from the UK government. Preparations are currently underway to decommission the Miller platform, but the oil and gas pipelines will be preserved for future opportunities. ^[1]

On 1 April 2009, sixteen people were killed in the crash of a helicopter carrying workers from the Miller field back to Aberdeen.

Export pipelines

Gas export from Miller was via a sour gas pipeline system (Miller Gas System) comprising a 241 km, 30-inch-diameter (760 mm) sealine to St Fergus and then on via a 17.5 km 26-inch-diameter (660 mm) landline to Peterhead Power Station.

Miller oil was pumped via a 7.5 km-long, 18-inch-diameter (460 mm) export pipeline to the Brae A platform and then onwards via the Forties pipeline system to the mainland.

In 2003, BP constructed a new 8.5 km, 16-inch-diameter (410 mm) gas pipeline between the Brae B and Miller platforms to allow gas to be exported from Brae to Miller for use in the Miller Field EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) scheme.

Carbon sequestration

BP developed plans to reuse the structure for deep carbon sequestration.^{[2] [3]}

References

1. ^ BP North Sea Website : http://www.bpnsi.com/index.asp?id=7369643D312669643D313130
2. ^ Nicole Branan "More answers — and questions — about carbon storage" Geotimes February 2008
3. ^ "BP And Partners Plan Clean Energy Plant in Scotland, Increasing Oil Recovery And Reducing Emissions" 20 June 2005 (press release)

Coordinates: 58°45′N 1°20′E / 58.75°N 1.333°E / 58.75; 1.333