BP operates the ECA Riser Tower (ECART), which is located approximately 50km East of Humberside in block 42/29 of the Southern North Sea. The ECART platform is connected by bridge link to the BP 100% owned and operated Cleeton platform. ECART gathers production from the ECA Fields Neptune, Mercury, Eris, Ceres, Minerva, Apollo, Wollaston and Whittle.

The ECA Fields are processed through the ECART via 3 risers for transporting Neptune Hub (Neptune & Mercury Fields), Minerva Hub (Minerva & Apollo Fields) and Whittle Hub (Wollaston & Whittle Fields). Processing on the ECART is restricted to primary separation of the gas and liquids, and metering. Hydrocarbons are transported and processed for sale in the BP operated Southern North Sea Pipeline System (SNSPS) which includes the Cleeton Platform.

Production from the phase one ECA development involving the construction of the ECART and the development of the Neptune and Mercury fields began in 1999. The construction of the ECART created a flexible export route for future developments in the area. Production from the phase two ECA development involving the Minerva, Apollo, Wollaston and Whittle fields began late in 2002; in 2010 the tie in of the Eris and Ceres fields to Mercury was completed. There is scope for further field developments via the ECART and the Neptune and Minerva Hubs.

Production Hubs

The Neptune hub comprises the Neptune and Mercury Fields. There is a normally unmanned platform located in block 47/4b at the Neptune field, approximately 45km east of Humberside, which gathers production from the Neptune & Mercury fields. Production is exported to the ECART through a 16'7km pipeline designated PL-1684. The Mercury sub-sea manifold is tied back to the Neptune platform and via a 10'27km pipeline designated PL-1707. The Eris and Ceres fields are tied back to the Mercury sub-sea manifold.

The Minerva hub comprises the Minerva and Apollo fields, and there is a normally unmanned platform located in block 47/3c at the Minerva field, approximately 40km east of Humberside. The Minerva platform gathers production from the Minerva and Apollo fields for export to the ECART via a 16'13km pipeline designated PL-1934. The Apollo sub-sea wells are tied back via a manifold and 8'6.25km pipeline designated PL-1937 to the Minerva platform.

The Whittle hub comprises the Wollaston and Whittle fields which are tied back using sub-sea facilities to the ECART. A sub-sea manifold is located in block 42/28b at the Whittle field (incorporating an instrumented protection system) for the tie-in of the remote Wollaston well. The Wollaston to Whittle manifold pipeline is 8' 5.4km, designated PL-1929, the Whittle to ECART pipeline is 12' 15km, designated PL-1928.

The ECA fields and infrastructure are operated by BP with the exception of Eris and Ceres fields, which are operated by Centrica. However, day to day operation and maintenance of the Eris and Ceres fields is provided by BP under an offshore services agreement.

Neptune Platform

The Neptune normally unmanned platform was designed to produce fluids from four platform wells and to receive gas from two sub-sea Mercury wells. There are limited separation facilities on the Neptune platform for removal of produced water prior to commingling with the Mercury well stream and onward export to the ECART. Allocation metering of the Neptune, Mercury and Eris/Ceres gas and Neptune condensate is also provided on the Neptune platform. Other facilities on the Neptune platform include power generation, control systems and produced water treatment.

Minerva Platform

The Minerva normally unmanned platform is a limited access platform which receives production from two Minerva platform wells, one sub-sea Minerva well and two sub-sea Apollo wells. These are commingled on the Minerva platform prior to export to the ECART. Facilities on the Minerva platform comprise a two-phase separator and a high integrity pipeline monitoring system. All services to the Minerva platform are provided from the Cleeton platform.

ECA Riser Tower

The ECA Riser Tower receives production from the Neptune and Minerva Hubs through 16''risers and from the Whittle Hub through a 12' riser. The Minerva and Whittle hub risers are equipped with venture meters for allocation purposes. There is a spare 12' riser which is available for future developments.

The ECART provides primary separation of the gas, condensate and water in two slug-catchers, one sized for a 300bbl slug and the other for a 100bbl slug. Condensate from both slug-catchers is processed and metered on the ECART prior to commingling with third party condensate on the Cleeton platform.

There are two bridge linked gas export pipelines from the ECART slug-catchers to the Cleeton processing facilities. Gas is metered, dried and commingled with condensate on the Cleeton platform prior to export to the Dimlington Terminal. All facilities downstream of the ECA meters are considered part of the SNSPS and are owned and operated by BP.