physics

Ravenspurn gas fields

Ravenspurn gas fields is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ravenspurn gas fields rather than just read about it. In short: The Ravenspurn gas fields are two adjacent natural gas fields (Ravenspurn South and Ravenspurn North) located in the UK sector of the southern North Sea about 65 km east of Flambrough Head, Yorkshire. The fields Ravenspurn South is principally located in Block 42/30 and extends into Blocks 42/29 and 43/26a of the southern North Sea.

Key takeaways

Ravenspurn gas fields belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ravenspurn gas fields to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ravenspurn gas fields from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The fields Ravenspurn South is principally located in Block 42/30 and extends into Blocks 42/29 and 43/26a of the southern North Sea. Ravenspurn was one of the 'Villages' gas fields; named after villages lost to the sea along the Holderness coast. These villages include: Cleeton, Dimlington, Hoton, Hyde, Newsham and Ravenspurn. The gas reservoir is a Permian sandstone and has a porosity of 23% and a permeability of 90 md. The field was discovered in April 1983 and has recoverable reserves of 18.0 billion cubic metres. First gas was produced in October 1989. Ravenspurn North is located in Block 43/26a of the North Sea and extends into Block 42/30. The reservoir is a Lower Leman sandstone of the Rotliegendes group with a variable porosity and permeability. The field was discovered in October 1984 and the recoverable reserves were 35.1 billion cubic metres. First gas was produced in 1990.

Owners and operators In 1993 Blocks 42/30 and 42/29 (Ravenspurn South) were both licensed to BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. (100 %). Block 43/26a (Ravenspurn South and North) was licensed to: ARCO British Ltd. (25.0%), Enterprise Oil plc (20.0%), Hamilton Oil Great Britain plc (15.0%), LASMO Ltd. (15.0%), Hardy Oil and Gas (UK) Ltd. (10.0%), Hamilton Brothers Petroleum (UK) Ltd. (7.5%), Monument Resources Ltd. (7.5%). Ravenspurn South was developed by BP which remained operator until 2012, when Perenco assumed operatorship. Ravenspurn North was developed by Hamilton Brothers which remained the operator until 1998 when BP assumed operatorship. In 2012 Perenco acquired BP’s interest and became the operator.

Development The Ravenspurn South field was developed by BP through three normally unattended offshore platforms Ravenspurn South A, B and C.

On RA and RB the fluids from the wellheads are combined and routed to a 3-phase separator on each platform. Gas from the Separator is routed to the 16-inch pipeline to Cleeton, together with the condensate from the Separator. Separated water is discharged to the sea. On RC there is no separator, well fluids are routed directly by pipeline to Cleeton. The pipeline has a maximum operating pressure of 248.3 bar. In the first year of peak production (1991) the field produced 1.60 billion cubic metres of gas. Ravenspurn North was developed by Hamilton Brothers as a main manned complex and two satellite platforms ST2 and ST3.

The Ravenspurn North Central Production Platform (CPP) is a concrete gravity base structure, the only example in the southern North Sea. It is a three leg structure supporting a production and accommodation topside. It is bridge linked to WT1 wellhead platform.

Ravenspurn North CPP Processing Well fluids from the wellhead tower are routed to one of two 3-phase Separators depending on the pressure of the fluids. High pressure gas from the high pressure HP Separator is dehydrated by counter current contact with glycol in a contact tower. It is then metered and exported to the Cleeton platform by a 24-inch pipeline. The pipeline has a maximum operating pressure of 149 bar and is 28 km long. Gas from the lower pressure LP Separator is routed to a 2-stage 3-train compression train. Compressed gas is dehydrated in a glycol contact tower and mixed with the HP gas prior to the metering skid. Condensate from the separators is collected in the Condensate Separator and from there to the Condensate Coalescer. It is then metered and pumped into the gas export line. Water from the Separators is routed to the oily water coalescer and then discharged overboard. Fluids from the satellite platforms (ST2 and ST3) are exported to the central complex. Upon arrival they are routed to a slug catcher, gas is routed to the inlet of the appropriate Glycol Contactor. Liquids are routed to the Condensate Separator and then the Condensate Coalescer prior to export through the gas pipeline. In the first year of peak production (1992) the field produced 3.50 billion cubic metres of gas. Ravenspurn North also receives fluid from the subsea Johnston field. Upon arrival at RN fluid flows to a slug catcher, gas is routed to the inlet of the appropriate Glycol Contactor. Liquids are routed to the Condensate Separator and then the Condensate Coalescer.

Production The cumulative gas production from the start until the end of 2014 was 28,245 million m3

The cumulative gas production from the start until the end of 2014 was 16,796 million m3.

See also List of oil and gas fields of the North Sea Easington gas terminal Arthurian gas fields Planets gas fields Cleeton gas field and hub

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ravenspurn gas fields

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ravenspurn gas fields claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ravenspurn gas fields before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ravenspurn gas fields ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ravenspurn gas fields

In research: Ravenspurn gas fields appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ravenspurn gas fields in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ravenspurn gas fields is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Lists of oil and natural gas fields, North Sea energy, Oil fields of Europe, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ravenspurn gas fields outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ravenspurn gas fields in 20 minutes

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Close the page and write down what Ravenspurn gas fields means in your own words.
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Frequently asked questions

What is Ravenspurn gas fields in simple terms?

The Ravenspurn gas fields are two adjacent natural gas fields (Ravenspurn South and Ravenspurn North) located in the UK sector of the southern North Sea about 65 km east of Flambrough Head, Yorkshire. The fields Ravenspurn South is principally located in Block 42/30 and extends into Blocks 42/29 an…

Why does Ravenspurn gas fields matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ravenspurn gas fields?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ravenspurn gas fields.