Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – Norwegian fields holding a total of around 200 bcm of gas will be developed between now and 2020, according to Gassco.
The distributor adds that some of the projects could extend Norway's gas transportation network farther north.
"A common pipeline from the [Statoil-operated] Luva field to existing processing facilities at Nyhamna will extend the gas value chain and enable several fields in the Norwegian Sea to reach the European gas market", claimed Gassco President and CEO Brian Bjordal.
Eleven companies are sponsoring the Luva pipeline studies. A concept selection should follow this fall, with a final investment decision due in late-2012.
Gassco says the maximum water depth of the planned 480-km (298-mi) pipeline from Luva to Nyhamna on the
Norwegian west coast is around 1,300 m (4,265 ft), which would be the deepest for a pipeline on the Norwegian shelf.
"We need to estimate the long term demand for gas transport,” Bjordal cautioned. “There is uncertainty related to the resource potential post-2020 and field development in new areas will require a coordinated approach to the infrastructure development.”
In a separate initiative, Total has agreed to sell its 6.4% stake in the Gassled gas transportation venture to Silex Gas Norway for $ 870 million. Earlier this week, Sttaoil announced a similar transaction, although it decided to retain a 5% interest.
Gassled was formed in 2003 to transport natural gas from Norwegian fields to mainland Europe and the UK. Its infrastructure assets comprise 7,980 km of gas pipelines and associated platforms, processing plants and terminals in Norway, Belgium, France, Germany and the UK.
Its revenues come from tariffs paid by shippers using the system, which are regulated by Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.
Total has no plans to scale back its E&P activities offshore Norway. Last year its Norwegian equity production averaged 310,000 boe/d.
06/09/2011
