The Murchison platform was installed in 1979.

The task is considerable. The Murchison platform, located around 190km offshore in Block 211/19 in the East Shetland basin in a water depth of 156m, comprises 16 topside modules together weighing 24,500 tonnes, on an eight-legged steel jacket. The total weight is 27,600 tonnes.
The Murchison field was discovered in July 1975, with first production, operated by Conoco (UK), in 1980. At its height, the Murchison platform produced 150,383 bbl/d, a peak reached on 26 December 1982.

Oil from Murchison was transported via the Brent Pipeline System to the BP-operated Sullom Voe terminal, on the Shetland Islands, for processing and storage, before onward sale.

CNR International became operator of Murchison in 2002. An asset integrity management, reservoir management, well repair, and infill drilling campaign saw the field life extended by 10 years, delivering more than 22MM bbl during this period.

Production ceased on 28 February.

CNRI now plans to complete a decommissioning program by 2019, with the jacket scheduled to be removed in 2017.

CNRI has said it may apply for derogation of the Murchison jacket – permission to leave it in place – because of its size and age. It was installed in 1979.

CNRI’s vice president of production operations, Dave Whitehouse, said: “Cessation of production is a major development, not only for CNRI but for the whole North Sea sector, as the platform has been instrumental in the outstanding success achieved by the industry over the last three decades.

“On a more personal level, many workers will have fond memories of time spent on the Murchison, with the platform widely known for its working atmosphere and the tremendous camaraderie that exists amongst staff onboard.

“We will now move forward with delivering our decommissioning program, which will see the platform fully dismantled and removed from the North Sea within five years.”