Shapps gives sign off to Neo Energy’s Affleck redevelopment

The UK’s energy secretary has given the green light to proposals to redevelop an oil and gas field 178 miles south-east of Aberdeen.

In a letter to the regulator, Grant Shapps said Neo Energy’s Affleck project is “not likely to have a significant effect on the environment”.

Accordingly he has given permission to the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) to rubber stamp the scheme – the regulator granted consent last week.

Private-equity backed Neo lodged an environmental statement for its plans to reconnect wells at Affleck last year, having acquired 100% ownership of the field in 2021.

It is proposing that the A1 and A2 – previously operated by the Janice platform and decommissioned in 2016 – be overhauled and hooked into the existing Affleck manifold.

From there oil and gas would be transported to Harbour Energy’s Judy installation, via the Talbot field.

© Supplied by NEO

Previous timelines had first oil targeted for 2024, with production tipped to peak at 5,218 barrels of oil in 2025.

Affleck is expected to begin production with 751 barrels of oil per day and 65 thousand cubic metres per day (mm3/d).

The field lies in waters approximately 229.7 feet deep and is around 3 miles from the UK/Norway median line.

Affleck facts and figures

Beginning operation in the middle of 2009, Affleck produced 4.3 million barrels before its eventual decommissioning.

Since their decommissioning in 2016, the two wells that will form the backbone of the field redevelopment have remained untouched.

In October 2018 the previous operator of Affleck, TotalEnergies carried out a screening study to assess the options available for the redevelopment of the field.

The main conclusion was that the asset could provide a valuable opportunity worthy of further analysis, and a select stage study was conducted in September 2019.

Judy was picked as the preferred tie back option for the redevelopment in November 2021.

Following this, a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study was kicked off to refine the technical work to allow Neo to make a final call on investment.