Shell UK Commits to Victory Gas Field Development in North Sea, Boosting UK’s Domestic Gas Supply

Shell UK has made a decisive move by taking the final investment decision (FID) on the Victory gas field, located about 47 km northwest of the Shetland Islands in the UK North Sea. This strategic decision is set to enhance the supply of domestically produced gas for Britain, supporting homes, businesses, and power generation across the country.

The Victory field development plan includes a solitary subsea well, which will be integrated into the existing infrastructure of the Greater Laggan Area system through a new 16 km pipeline. This initiative comes at a crucial time, as reported by the North Sea Transition Authority, with only 38% of the UK’s gas needs in 2022 being met by domestic production, leaving the majority to be covered by imports. Projected to be operational by mid-decade, the Victory field is expected to reach a peak production capacity sufficient to heat nearly 900,000 homes annually. This translates to about 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, or roughly 25,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The field is anticipated to yield most of its recoverable gas by the end of the decade. The gas from the Victory field will undergo processing at the onshore Shetland Gas Plant before being transported to the UK mainland. It will then enter the National Grid at St Fergus, where Shell UK is also actively involved in the development of the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage project, underscoring its commitment to sustainable energy practices.