Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Equinor has pushed back re-start of the Hammerfest LNG plant in northern Norway to May 17.
Grete B. Haaland, senior vice president for Equinor’s onshore plants, said: “We work systematically to deliver on the plan we established, but challenges related to COVID-19 restrictions require that we need more time to prepare the plant for safe and stable start-up and operations.”
The complex receives gas from various producing fields connected to the Snohvit subsea facilities in the Barents Sea. Since a fire at the plant halted operations in September 2020, Equinor’s teams have checked over 22,000 components and replaced 180 km (112 mi) of electrical cables, with around 1,000 people working to restore operations.
In addition, repairs have taken place to equipment and compressors along with a planned turnaround and routine maintenance. And to limit the spread of COVID-19, comprehensive measures and strict distancing rules have stayed in place in all areas of the complex.
“At times, half of staff have been in quarantine and isolation,” says Thor Johan Haave, plant manager at Hammerfest LNG.
“The project work is nearing completion and we’re doing what we can to finish the project.”
01/31/2022
