The Dunlin oilfield is situated 195 km northeast of Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, in block number 211/23a and 211/24a. It was originally operated by Shell but was recently sold and is now owned by Fairfield and licensed by Shell/Esso, Chevron and Oryx. It was discovered in July 1973 at a water depth of 151 metres (495 ft). Estimated recovery is 363 million barrels of oil. The oil reservoir is located at a depth of 9,000 feet (2,740 metres).
Production started in August 1978 from the Dunlin Alpha platform. This platform is a concrete gravity platform of the Condeep type. It has four legs and storage capacity for 838,200 barrels of oil. The total sub-structure weight is 225,000 long tons (229,000 tonnes) and it is designed to carry a topsides weight of 15,635 long tons (15,886 tonnes).
The topsides facilities included capability to drill, produce meter and pump oil. It also has capability to re-inject water to maintain reservoir pressure. Peak production was 115,000 barrels per day in 1979.
Oil production is by pipeline to Cormorant Alpha and then by Brent System pipeline to Sullom Voe, Shetland. Associated gas powers electrical generation and some is spiked into the oil and transferred to Sullom Voe. Some gas was flared.