Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Statoil (OSE:STL;NYSE:STO) and partner Petoro have agreed to implement subsea gas compression to boost recovery from the Gullfaks South field in the Norwegian North Sea.
They hope to derive a further 22 MMboe of production from the Gullfaks South Brent reservoir. Work on the $505-million project should be completed in the fall of 2015.
Around 2015, natural pressure in the Brent reservoir at Gullfaks South will be reduced. To maintain plateau production compression will be required.
The technical solution comprises two 5 MW wet gas compressors installed in a subsea template at 135 m (43 ft) water depth. Both will be tied in to existing templates and pipeline systems 15 km (9.3 mi) from Gullfaks C.
Associated power and control modules will be integrated on the Gullfaks C platform. Framo Engineering has the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the compressor station, including topside power and control systems for Gullfaks C.
Nexans has the EPC contract for the 16-km (9.9-mi) power and control cable from Gullfaks C to the subsea compressor station.
“Thanks to this technology, combined with conventional low-pressure production in a later phase, the recovery rate for gas from Gullfaks South Brent can be increased from 62-74%,” said Jannicke Nilsson, Statoil’s head of operations in the North Sea west region.
This will beStatoil’s second subsea gas compression project offshore Norway – in April, the Norwegian parliament (Storting) approved the company’s plan for development and operation for subsea compression at the Åsgard complex in the Norwegian Sea. Åsgard is scheduled to start up in 2015.
Additionally, Statoil is responsible for technology qualification for Norske Shell for theOrmen Lange pilot compression project.
5/22/2012
