Final Cygnus module heads to southern North Sea

July 21, 2015
The compression module for GDF Suez E&P UK’s Cygnus Alpha platform has departed the Heerema Hartlepool yard in northeast England.

Offshore staff

HARTLEPOOL, UK – The compression module for GDF Suez E&P UK’s Cygnus Alpha platform has departed the Heerema Hartlepool yard in northeast England.

This was the last of the main platform structures built by Heerema over the past 30 months for theCygnus gas field development in the UK southern North Sea.

Previously, the yard delivered three topsides, two connecting bridges, and a flare tower for the Bravo wellhead and Alpha process and utilities (APU) platforms.

The platform is the largest, measuring 65 x 35 x 25 m (213 x 115 x 82 ft) and weighing around 4,600 metric tons (5,070 tons). It will receive and optimize gas from the Alpha and Bravo wellhead platforms for transportation through the ETS pipeline system to the Bacton gas terminal on the English east coast.

Once the APU is installed, the compression module and 25-m (82-ft) high flare boom will be fitted to the topsides.

The unmanned Bravo wellhead platform, 7 km (4 mi) from the main hub, has dimensions of 42 x 25 x 13 m (138 x 82 x 42.6 ft) and weighs roughly 3,200 metric tons (3,527 tons).

It will be operated remotely from the APU platform, with a helipad to receive maintenance and other visiting personnel.

Cygnus is 150 km (93 mi) from the Lincolnshire coast, with estimated reserves of 18 bcm (635 bcf).

07/21/2015