Production has begun from the BP-operated Seagull oil and gas field in the North Sea.
The new project is expected to initially add around 25,000 barrels of oil per day, ramping up to around double that at peak production.
The field, which is around 140 miles east of Aberdeen, has been developed by Neptune Energy and is connected to the 25-year-old Energy Trough Area Project (ETAP), reusing some existing subsea infrastructure in what is the first tieback to the ETAP hub in 20 years.
A new three-mile subsea pipeline is in place which will connect to an existing pipeline system, along with a new 10-mile umbilical that links the ETAP central processing facility with the field, providing control, power and communications services between surface and seafloor.
The entire project will support around 800 jobs during its development phase.
Investing in the future
Seagull will sustain continued production through the ETAP central processing facility, which supports 350 full-time jobs, 270 offshore and 80 onshore.
Doris Reiter, Senior Vice President, bp North Sea, said: "bp has been safely operating in the North Sea for nearly 60 years, delivering a reliable flow of energy, supporting thousands of jobs and a world-class supply chain. We plan to keep doing this by investing in our existing oil and gas infrastructure, like at ETAP, which has been a cornerstone of our North Sea portfolio for a quarter of a century.
"The start-up of Seagull is a fantastic milestone that demonstrates how bp is investing in today’s energy system and, at the same time, investing in the energy transition."
BP operates the production phase of the development, with a 50% stake in Seagull.
Ms Reiter added: "A key focus for bp in the North Sea is to identify projects which can be developed efficiently using existing infrastructure. Seagull is a great example of this, and my thanks go to the committed teams at bp, our joint venture partners and supply chain colleagues who worked so hard to safely deliver this important project."
Alan Muirhead, UK Country Director, Neptune Energy, added: "As the operator of the project, Seagull is an excellent example of what can be achieved through close collaboration.
"From the beginning, the partners have taken an innovative approach to ensure we can collectively maximise the recovery of domestic energy resources while extending the life of existing subsea infrastructure to reduce development costs."
Neptune Energy holds a 35% stake in Seagull after operating the project's development phase, drilling wells and installing subsea equipment.
The final 15% is owned by JAPEX, whose Managing Executive Officer, Tomomi Yamada, said: "JAPEX is truly delighted with the safe and successful start-up of the Seagull field. We believe this commencement in production will benefit our business expansion strategy in the North Sea and realise the significant potential of the UK Continental Shelf. It is our pleasure to strengthen our partnership with bp and Neptune through the project."