The Bittern Field is positioned almost 200 km east of Aberdeen and the water depth at the location is 304 ft. The field was discovered in 1996 and lies within block 29/1, which is sub-divided into 29/1a (50% Shell/Exxon-Mobil) and 29/1b (50% Amerada Hess and partners). The field is operated by Shell Expro.
The Early Eocene Cromarty reservoir sands overall depositional fabric have back-filled a “channel-form topography” created by the bifurcation of an older (Paleocene) Andrew-Forties composite channel around a salt induced high. The internal structuration is interpreted as aggradational, sheet-like sands sub-divided by thin, biostratigraphically constrained claystones that are interpreted as debris flows. One major concern at the Field Development stage was the sand development on the northern margin of the field, which coincides with the sand depositional edge. One of two water injector wells was planned, and successfully drilled on this margin, proving that N:G did not decrease towards the depositional edge of the sands.
SEPM: Intrabasinal Influence of Paleotopography on Deposition in Deep-Water Siliciclastic Settings