Wood has been awarded a major contract to deliver topside modifications supporting bp’s latest subsea tieback in the UK North Sea.
Wood’s Operations business will deliver engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) services to enhance the central processing facility of bp’s Eastern Trough Area Project (ETAP) production hub in the central North Sea.
ETAP, often regarded as one of the most ambitious and commercially complex developments in the North Sea, comprises multiple fields with varying ownership arrangements sharing a central processing facility (CPF).
It came on stream in July 1998 with an estimated production life of 20 years. However, a $1billion investment programme in 2015 breathed new life into the hub, securing its future well into the 2030s.
Intially seven fields, four were operated by bp and three by Shell produced through the CPF. Two further bp-operated fields came online four years later in 2002, bringing the total number of fields producing through the CPF to nine. Two of the Shell fields later ceased production. Day-to-day production operations of the remaining seven ETAP fields are controlled by BP from the CPF.
Repurposing of existing equipment on ETAP will be a key focus under the two-year contract to enable the platform’s connection to Murlach — bp’s two production well subsea tieback development.
Wood Operations Executive President Steve Nicol said: “Working with bp for over 30 years, this contract builds on our global relationship, and we are proud to support this important project on one of their critical North Sea assets.’
“Wood will deliver this under our multi-region engineering services contract, with our teams supporting efficient and safe delivery of asset repair, modifications and enhancements on ETAP to enable production from Murlach.”
The Murlach project is a planned offshore oil field redevelopment in the North Sea, UK — it was previously known as the Skua field and production is expected to commence in June 2025.
