The first well on Statoil's Snøhvit development in the Barents Sea is under way. Designated F-2H, this first well will be used to inject carbon dioxide below ground during the production phase. Statoil estimates 700,000 tonnes of this greenhouse gas will be separated from the wellstream every year and injected into a separate formation to avoid releasing it to the air. This represents a major environmental measure that will release far less of the carbon dioxide produced from the field than would otherwise be the case.
Transocean's semisubmersiblePolar Pioneer will drill all 10 wells of this initial drilling phase by spring 2006. The vessel, designed to work in Arctic conditions, meets the strict environmental standards in place in the Barents Sea.
Water-based mud with the least environmentally harmful chemicals is being used to drill the Snøhvit wells. And the rig crew is specially trained to comply with strict environmental standards.
"We're putting great emphasis on good planning of the work, and have the natural environment on the agenda every single day," says well manager Thor Bensvik.
The next well, to be spudded in early February, will be one of nine producers covered by the first drilling phase.
In the course of the three phases in the development project, Statoil will drill 20 production wells in addition to the carbon dioxide injector. The second and third phases are scheduled for 2011 and 2014.
1/26/05
