Eni To Decommission North Sea Fields

Italy's Eni has filed plans to decommission facilities at the southern basin Hewett area gas fields, according to the website of the UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis).

The plans, which are being reviewed by Beis, involve the removal and return to shore of six platforms, for processing or recycling or disposal. Heavy-lift vessels will be used for the work, which will begin in late 2021 at the earliest and wrap up before 2029.

Eni will submit separate documents for decommissioning the fields' 32 subsea wells and associated infrastructure. The Italian major has a 90% stake in the fields, while its Anglo-French partner Perenco has 10%.

The main Hewett field, some 22 km northeast of the Norfolk coast, started flowing gas to the Bacton terminal in 1968. Its six satellite fields – Big Dotty, Little Dotty, Deborah, Dawn, Bella and Delilah – were brought on stream later.

Production is due to end later this year, but Eni and Perenco took this decision in early 2019, long before the collapse in oil and gas prices triggered by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.