Date: 202112
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B737-800
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Oil Filter
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Troubleshooting
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Automation Aircraft Other Automation; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: After takeoff; Engine 1 Oil Filter Bypass light came on. Ran checklist and reduced power on engine 1 to idle. Light remained on. Checklist then called for engine shutdown. [Requested priority handling] and shut down engine 1. Returned to ZZZ and landed overweight. Made appropriate ELB entries.


Second narrative: Immediately after takeoff; the OIL FILTER BYPASS message illuminated for the left engine. We continued our climb up to 11;000 ft. and headed west to get ourselves away from the busy terminal area and give ourselves altitude. We leveled off at 11;000 ft. and started working the problem. The Captain was the original pilot flying for this leg and he kept said duties throughout the flight. As I was pilot monitoring; I worked through the QRH. The procedure for OIL FILTER BYPASS required is to reduce thrust on the affected engine until the light went away. However; if we kept reducing thrust to idle and the light was still illuminated; the procedure directed us to the single-engine/inflight shutdown QRH procedure. We found ourselves with the left engine at idle per the oil filter bypass QRH procedure and the light still illuminated. We [requested priority handling] and started the process for getting back to ZZZ. We then accomplished the single-engine/inflight shutdown procedure and the subsequent procedures to secure the engine and prepare for a single-engine air return. Once all procedures were finished; we elected to land overweight because we felt it was prudent to get the airplane on the ground instead of hanging out for a couple hours on one engine burning fuel to be within landing weight limits. We set up for the ILS XXR into ZZZ. We accomplished this approach with no other issues. When we got on the ground; we had the fire trucks look and temperature our brakes. They say temperatures were ok." We then taxied to the gate. We wrote the issue up at the gate."


Synopsis: B737-800 flight crew reported Engine 1 Oil Filter Bypass light illuminated after takeoff and elected to perform an inflight shutdown of the affected engine as well as an air turnback and precautionary landing at departure airport.