Timeline

BEATRICE OIL FIELD TIMELINE

To date:

1976

• MESA Petroleum Co. strikes oil in the Beatrice field

1978

• Project development approval awarded

1981

• Oil production starts, led by BNOC

1988

• BP acquires oil field and facilities from Britoil (formerly BNOC)

1996

• Talisman Energy acquires oil field and facilities from BP

2001

• 59 kilometres replacement section of oil export pipeline installed

2004

• Beatrice decommissioning programme approved by DECC in anticipation of eventual decommissioning, based on reuse of the platform complex by the Ministry of Defence

2007/8

• Two demonstrator wind turbines installed to supply power to the Beatrice facilities

2008

• Ithaca Energy takes over Beatrice facilities to aid productions at its Jacky platform, tied back to Beatrice. Talisman Energy retains eventual decommissioning liability

2012

• Joint venture created between Talisman Energy and Sinopec – Talisman Sinopec Energy UK Limited
• Ministry of Defence withdraws from reuse agreement for Beatrice

2013

• Early stage studies initiated by Talisman-Sinopec Energy UK to inform Beatrice decommissioning pre-planning

2014

• Ithaca Energy gives one year notice of intention to withdraw from Beatrice in January 2015
• Environmental and pipeline surveys commissioned by decommissioning team to inform planning
• Draft Scoping Report for the Environmental Impact Assessment published for stakeholder comment

2015

• Beatrice returns to the Talisman Sinopec (Repsol Sinopec)
• Comparative assessment of pipeline decommissioning options undertaken
• Stakeholder review of potential pipeline removal options and broader decommissioning proposals

2016

• Decision taken on timing and shape of decommissioning programme
• B&C well abandonment campaign planned and approved

2017

• Alpha well abandonment planning