Both export through the Mercury subsea manifold, and then flow via Neptune and onwards to Cleeton and the Dimlington onshore terminal. Production commenced in 2010, with an expected field life of the mid 2020s.

One of the largest gas fields in the UKCS, at its peak, the Morecambe Hub met 20% of the UK’s domestic gas demand. Despite being in production for over 30 years, the Morecambe Hub remains a cornerstone operated asset in the Spirit Energy portfolio with production expected into the mid-2020s.

South Morecambe was discovered in 1974 and was the first to be developed, with production starting in 1985. The field has been developed using seven fixed jacket platforms, including the three-platform manned Central Processing Complex (CPC), four Normally Unmanned Installations (NUIs) and 36 development wells. Gas is exported via a 36” dedicated pipeline to the Barrow Gas Terminals. North Morecambe was discovered in 1976, with first gas in 1994. The development includes the normally unmanned DPPA platform which acts as the main gathering hub for the area, 10 development wells and a 12” pipeline to the Barrow Gas Terminals. Rhyl, which is north of the North Morecambe field, was discovered in 2009 and brought into production in March 2013. It has been developed as a two-well subsea tieback to DPPA.

Gas from all the fields is processed at Barrow Gas Terminals, which is located near Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, before entry into the National Transmission System. Spirit Energy’s offshore facilities and onshore terminal also provides gathering and processing services for third parties.

Production commenced in 2012. A side-track opportunity is under review to determine if the field life can be extended from 2021 to the late 2020s.

Well fluids are gathered in a manifold and exported to the Easington Gas Terminal via a 16" export line. The platform, which was installed in 2012 (with a 25-year design life) is also controlled remotely from Easington. Production commenced in 2013 and options for extending the life of York are ongoing, with a target end of field life ~2022.

Discovered in 1984, Alba is a heavy oil field and was one of the first shallow Eocene reservoirs to be successfully developed in the North Sea. First oil was achieved in January 1994, with an expected field life of 2030+.

The field’s facilities include the fixed jacket Alba North Platform (ANP), with a dry tree well bay, drilling package and three phase processing facilities. The field was further developed in 2001, through the addition of the Alba Extreme South (AXS) production and injection subsea development, tied back to the ANP, with oil exported to the Alba Floating Storage Unit (FSU) which is located in the field on a permanent basis.

Brae Alpha commenced production in 1983, Brae Bravo in 1988 and East Brae in 1993. The Central and West Brae/Sedgwick subsea tiebacks to Brae Alpha commenced production in 1989 and 1997 respectively, while the Braemar subsea tieback to East Brae commenced in 2003. Brae Bravo reached Cessation of Production (COP) in 2018 and is now hydrocarbon free and a permanently unattended installation. The topside and jacket removal is sanctioned for execution in 2021/22. East Brae is expected to reach cessation of production (COP) end-2021, with COP of Braemar expected end-2023. Brae Alpha has an expected field life of 2027.

Liquids from the Brae Area are exported via the Ineos-operated Forties Pipeline and gas is transported via the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) pipeline to St Fergus.

In 2018, a new pipeline, subsea infrastructure and processing equipment was installed to re-route production from the Clipper South field to the Clipper platform and onward to the Bacton Gas Terminal on the North Sea coast of North Norfolk. Clipper South is a relatively young asset, with significant remaining reserves and an estimated cessation of production (COP) date of 2028/29.

The Cygnus infrastructure consists of three bridge-linked Alpha platforms, including a wellhead drilling centre (AWHP), a processing/utilities unit (APU) and the living quarters/central control room (AQU). The Bravo wellhead platform, a Not Permanently Attended Installation (NPAI), is located approximately 7km northwest of Cygnus Alpha. Gas and condensate is exported from the Alpha PU platform to the Bacton Gas Terminal. In Bacton, Cygnus gas is blended with a high Wobbe Index gas to achieve National Grid entry specification.

First production from Cygnus was on 13 December 2016 (Alpha) and 1 August 2017 (Bravo), with the Greater Cygnus Area expected to provide economic production potential beyond 2030.