K7-K12 gas fields

The K7-K12 gas fields are significant natural gas producing areas in the Netherlands sector of the North Sea, about 130 km west of Den Helder. These six contiguous fields started producing gas in 1978 and are mostly still operational in 2021.

K7-K12 gas fields
Country	Netherlands
Region	North Sea
Location/blocks	K7, K8, K9, K10, K11, K12
Offshore/onshore	Offshore
Operator	NAM, Gaz de France, Pennzoil, Wintershall, Engie E&P Nederland, Neptune Energy
Field history
Discovery	1969
Start of production	1978
Production
Producing formations	Rotliegendes sandstone

The fields

The K7-K12 gas fields are located in the Southern North Sea. They extend over the Netherlands Blocks K7, K8, K9, K10, K11 and K12. The gas reservoirs have the following properties: ^[1]

K7-K12 field gas reservoir properties

Block	K7	K8	K9	K10	K11	K12
Producing horizon	Rotliegendes	Rotliegendes		Rotliegendes	Rotliegendes	Rotliegendes
Depth, metres	3,150	3,300		2,770 3,080	3,160
Type of gas	High calorific value (CV)	High CV			High CV	High CO2
Recoverable reserves, billion cubic feet	247	720			189	200
Discovery	1969	1970		1973 and 1979	1971	1976
Initial operator	Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV (NAM)	Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV (NAM)	Gaz de France	Pennzoil	NAM	Placid
Subsequent operators			Neptune Energy, Engie E&P Nederland	Wintershall	Gaz de France	Gaz de France

Development

The K7-K12 reservoirs were developed by a number of offshore installations across the Blocks.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

K7-K12 Field Offshore installations

Field	Coordinates	Water depth	Installation designation	Function	Type	Legs	Well slots	Installed	Production start	Production to
K7	53°34’22”N 03°18’18”E	36.1	K7-FA1 Drilling	Wellhead	Steel jacket	4	9	April 1982 Deck	October 1982	Production platform, bridge linked
			K7-FA1 Production	Processing, accommodation	Steel jacket	6	Nil	April 1982 Deck		K8-FA1
	53.55142N 3.26727E		K7-FD1	Satellite	Steel jacket	4		1998
	53.50125N 3.37038E		K7-FB1	Satellite	Steel jacket	4		2003
K8	53°30’00”N 03°22’13”E	31.2	K8-FA1	Drilling, production, accommodation	Steel jacket	10	12	July 1977 Deck	March 1978	K14-FA1
			K8-FA1-P	Accommodation	Steel jacket			2001
	53°30’55N 03°22’13”E	31	K8-FA2	Drilling,	Steel jacket	4	9	October 1977	September 1979	K8-FA1
	53°32’32N 03°25’25”E	35	K8-FA3	Satellite	Steel jacket	6	9	May 1985	1985	K7
K9	53.52193N 3.99382E	29.6	K9ab-A	Satellite	Steel jacket				1987
	53.55295N 3.78426E	28.4	K9ab-B	Satellite	Steel jacket				1999
	53.65442N 3.87426E	38.	K9c-A	Satellite	Steel jacket				1987
K10	53.363714N 3.253964E	25, 29	K10-BD Wellhead	Wellhead	Steel jacket	6	12	July 1982 Deck	January 1983	Production platform, bridge linked
			K10-BP Production	Processing, accommodation	Steel jacket	6	Nil	August 1982		K13-C
	53.404257N 3.288094E	29	K10-C	Satellite	Steel jacket	4	6	July 1982	August 1983	K10-B
K11	53°26’58N 03°20’34”E	29.4	K11-FA1	Wellhead drilling	Steel jacket	4	3	1980	Mar 1980	K8-FA1
K12	53°28’36N 03°47’19”E	29.5	K12-A	Wellhead	Steel Jacket	4	6	July 1983	September 1983	L10-A
	53°27’33N 03°54’21”E	27.4	K12-C	Satellite wellhead	Steel jacket	4	6	September 1984	October 1984
	53.34304N 3.89692E	26.5 27.4	K12-BD	Satellite wellhead	Steel jacket				1983
	53.34238N 3.8973		K12-BP	Production	Steel jacket				1981
	53.460784N 3.905925E		K12-CC	Compression	Steel jacket			1994		Bridge link to K12-BP
	53.42354N 3.88651E	29.5	K12-D	Satellite wellhead	Steel jacket				1985
	53.35712N 3.98373E	26	K12-G	Satellite	Steel jacket			2001
	53.25221N 3.31354 E	26	K12-K	Wellhead platform	Steel jacket			2006	2007
	53.4218N 3.825E, 53.34694N 4.9475E	?, 26, 46	K12-S1, K12-S2, K12-S3	Subsea wellheads	Subsea wellhead	–		1991, 2002, 2003

The principal pipelines in the fields are:^[1]

K7-K12 Fields pipelines

Start	End	Length, km	Diameter, inches	Fluid
K7-FA1	K8-FA1	9.4	18	Gas
K8-FA1	K14-FA1	30.9	24	Gas
K8-FA2	K8-FA1	3.8	10	Gas
K8-FA3	K7	9	12	Gas
K10-B	K13-C	7.4	20	Gas
K10-C	K10-B	5.2	10	Gas
K10-C	K10-B	5.2	2	Methanol
K11-FA1	K8-FA1	6	6	Gas
K12A	L10A	30	14	Gas
K12A	L10A	30	2	Methanol
K12C	K12A/L10A line sidetap	0.4	10	Gas
K12C	K12A/L10A line sidetap	0.4	2	Methanol
K12B	L10A	22		Gas
K12B	L10A	22		Methanol
K12C	K12C	4.5	10	Gas
K12C	Sidetap	4.3	2	Methanol

Production

Peak production from the fields was as follows:^[1]

K7-K12 Fields Production

Field	Production million m3/day
K7-FA1	6
K8-FA1	9.2
K8-FA2	6
K8-FA3	3.5
K11-FA1	1.1
K12-A	2.7
K12-C	2.7

Decommissioning

The K10 and K11 installations are now closed and have been decommissioned.^[7]

See also

• Helder, Helm and Hoorn oil fields
• Kotter and Logger oil and gas fields
• L4-L7 gas fields
• L10 gas field
• K12-B
• K13 gas fields
• K14-K18 gas fields