Offshore staff
LYSAKER, Norway — Production from the Valhall area in the southern Norwegian North Sea fell to 42 MMboe/d during the third quarter due to an unplanned shutdown caused by a leak, operator Aker BP revealed in its latest results statement.
The leak, comprising mainly water with some oil, was collected in a storage tank and no spill occurred to the sea. Following preventive measures, production resumed a few days later and should continuing ramping up in the current quarter.
The jackup Noble Invincible has started drilling a new infill well on the north flank of the Valhall Field, and this should deliver first oil by year-end 2023. After that, the rig will transfer to Hod A to start the Phase 2 P&A campaign.
At the Tambar Field in the same region, the partners expect to take FID shortly on a new side-track well. And a project is underway to determine continued safe and profitable operations at Ula until cessation of production in 2028.
In parallel, a field decommissioning study continues concerning well plugging and platform removal.
Drilling continues for the Hanz project, a tieback to the Ivar Aasen platform in the Utsira High region of the North Sea, along with topside commissioning of the reception facilities. First oil should follow from Hanz in first-quarter 2024.
In the Norwegian Sea, production from Skarv fell to 37.6 MMboe/d in the third quarter due largely to an unplanned shutdown in September resulting from a failure in the export compressor coolers. Following a shutdown, the coolers were repaired, and production recovered to normal levels within 11 days.
Aker BP is considering measures to increase recovery at Skarv; the partners have approved an infill well next year and a decision could follow on another infill well. Production in both cases would start in the second half of 2024.
10.27.2023
