据普氏能源资讯11月23日伦敦消息称，英国石油公司表示，它已经开始在位于英国设得兰地区西部启动规模庞大、延误已久的Clair Ridge扩建项目的生产，日产量将增加12万桶，这将有助于维持英国最近有所改善的产量。
克莱尔位于大西洋东部恶劣的海域，面积超过220平方公里（85平方英里），以生产能力低下的油井为特，克莱尔已经证明在这里开采石油是一项挑战。2011年项目获得批准后，扩建时间延迟了两年多。
但新设施的产能几乎是原始平台的两倍：生产始于2005年，并在2009年达到57000桶/日的石油峰值，英国石油公司提高了进一步开发这一项目的希望，希望能最大限度地提高该油田的产量。该油田据信拥有七十亿桶石油，被公司称为“英国大陆架上已知的最大油气资源”。
第一阶段工厂将继续生产，这意味着克莱尔总产能将增加至近18万桶/天; 然而，英国石油公司表示：“Clair Ridge达到峰值产量需要几年时间。”近年来，第一阶段产量一直不稳定，波动在25000-30000桶/日左右。
英国石油公司周五强调该公司首次使用名为为LoSal的强化开采技术，该技术包括注入低盐度水以最大限度地提高开采率，公司表示这可能会额外增加4000万桶原油产量。Clair Ridge总体目标是6.4亿桶石油储量。
它将Clair Ridge描述为20多年来北海最大的安装项目。上游业务首席执行官伯纳德·鲁尼（Bernard Looney）表示，这家初创项目是“几十年坚持不懈的成果”。
他补充道：“这是我们上游业务的一个重要里程碑，凸显了BP对北海地区的持续承诺。”
与北海其他地区相比，克莱尔项目中开采的原油相对较重，其API比重为23.2，并通过管道运往设得兰群岛的Sullom Voe进行装载。。
作为运营商，BP目前持有28.6％的股份，壳牌持有28％的股份，美国上游公司康菲石油持有24％的股份，雪佛龙持有19.4％的股份。但根据7月与康菲石油公司达成的阿拉斯加资产互换协议，这家英国石油巨头将把持股比例提高至45.1%。。
雪佛龙尚未将其持有的股份纳入其宣布的北海资产出售计划中，并在周五表示：“在我们继续评估我们的投资组合时，我们正在推进克莱尔项目。”
曹海斌 摘译自 普氏能源资讯
原文如下：
BP starts oil output from giant UK Clair expansion project
BP says it has started production from its giant and long-delayed Clair Ridge expansion project in the UK West of Shetland area, adding 120,000 b/d of capacity that should help sustain the country's recently improved output.
Spread over 220 square kilometers (85 square miles) in the harsh seas of the eastern Atlantic, and characterized by low-productivity wells, Clair has proved a challenge. The expansion is more than two years late, having been approved in 2011.
But the new facilities are almost double the capacity of the original platform: production first started in 2005 and peaked at 57,000 b/d of oil in 2009, and BP has raised hopes of further projects to maximize output from a field thought to hold over 7 billion barrels of oil and described by the company as the "largest known hydrocarbon resource Production will continue from the phase BP It described Clair Ridge as the largest North Sea installation project in more than 20 years. Upstream chief executive Bernard Looney said the startup was the "culmination of decades of persistence."
"This is a major milestone for our upstream business and highlights BP's continued commitment to the North Sea region," he added.
Clair is a relatively heavy crude compared with others in the North Sea, with an API gravity of 23.2, and is shipped via pipeline for loading at Sullom Voe in the Shetland Islands.
BP, as operator, currently holds a 28.6% stake, alongside Shell with 28%, US upstream company ConocoPhillips with 24% and Chevron with 19.4%. But the UK major is set to increase its stake to 45.1% under a swap for Alaskan assets agreed with ConocoPhillips in July.
Chevron has not included its stake in the North Sea asset sale plans it has announced, and said Friday: "While we continue to evaluate our portfolio we are progressing the Clair projects."
