Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Development drilling has started at Statoil’s Oseberg Vestflanken 2 complex in the Norwegian North Sea.
TheAskepott, one of two new Cat J jackups built by Samsung for the Oseberg and Gullfaks license owners, is drilling the well through the new Oseberg H unmanned platform (a first for Statoil on the Norwegian continental shelf).
“This state-of-the-art rig will increase the safety and efficiency of our drilling operations,” said drilling superintendent Niels Hoogerheide.
“However, with a new rig, new crew and a new drilling contractor, it is important that we spend time getting familiar with the equipment and crew in the initial phase.”
For this reason, there is a drilling simulator on board theAskepott.
“The simulator is expensive, but I am positive that this will pay off through safer and more efficient drilling operations,” said Terje Masdal, project manager forOseberg Vestflanken 2.
Oseberg H, which is also Statoil’s smallest platform, has no process facilities, helideck, or lifeboats. During maintenance visits all facilities will be located on the vessel connected to the platform, an arrangement first employed during the hook-up phase last autumn.
Hoogerheide commended the collaboration with well engineering contractors KCA Deutag andBaker Hughes, a GE company. “We have managed to build a team that works closely together,” he said. “This allows us to use personnel across the organization, and people take ownership of deliveries.
“The Oseberg Vestflanken 2 well concepts were developed through teamwork with all parties, enabling optimal optimization and standardization.”
However, the present disturbed weather in the North Sea means that the start of production drilling at Oseberg Vestflanken has taken somewhat longer than expected.
“We have adjusted the drilling plan and will complete the project in accordance with the original plan,” Masdal said.
The Cat JAskepott drilling activities on Oseberg Vestflanken 2 are scheduled to continue for around two and a half years, with nine wells planned. Statoil estimates investment costs for the project at NOK6.5 billion ($830 million).
02/27/2018
