Offshore staff
LYSAKER, Norway – Statoil and its partners are looking to add a fifth platform to the Johan Sverdrup production complex in the Norwegian North Sea, according to partner Aker BP.
They will likely reach decision gate 2 (DG2) on concept selection for the Phase 2 Sverdrup development by mid-year, followed by submission of a plan for development and operation (DG3) during the second half of 2018.
The extra platform will increase production capacity, and will be accompanied by increased power from shore capacity that will also serve the nearbyIvar Aasen, Edvard Grieg, and Gina Krog fields.
Aker BP estimates Sverdrup’s full field oil production capacity at 660,000 b/d.
The company adds that it continues to assess whether to contest in court the decision made by Norway’s King in Council on distribution of participating interests in the field.
Odfjell’s semisubmersibleDeepsea Atlantic has completed pre-drilling of eight oil producers for Sverdrup Phase 1, and a four-well pilot/appraisal campaign has since begun, designed to refine reservoir definition.
Pre-drilling of nine water injection wells is set to get under way this month.
Gina Krog, which Statoil is developing via a fixed platform with living quarters and process facilities, should enter production this spring, Aker BP adds.
The company operates the undeveloped North of Alvheim area in the North Sea, encompassing the Frigg Gamma Delta andLangfjellet discoveries and the shutdown Frøy field.
Aker BP aims to develop an area hub for the fields that would also tie-in neighboring licenses and open up new exploration potential in the region.
This could involve a floating or fixed production facility serving as the hub, connected to subsea structures or unmanned wellhead platforms on the individual reservoirs based on their size and complexity.
Concept selection (DG2) could follow during 4Q.
Late last year, the company completed drilling on Langfjellet in license PL442, and estimates volumes in the 24-74 MMboe range.
As for the Alvheim area, the semisubTransocean Arctic has been drilling and completing the Volund East and South infill wells.
Later in 1Q, Aker BP and its partners plan concept selection for development of the Storlakken structure in PL460 via a single multilateral production well tied back to the Vilje template, and using the existing pipeline from Vilje to theAlvheimFPSO. First oil should follow in 2020.
At Valhall, drilling should resume soon from the injection platform.
Production from the Valhall area increased during 4Q 2016, mainly due to improved well performance, with one in particular producing longer than had been projected.
At the same time, coiled tubing activity took place to prepare other wells for P&A work. The newbuild jackupMaersk Invincible will manage this program during the coming months.
The Valhall Flank West project involves further infield development of the Tor formation to drain Valhall’s western flank. Aker BP anticipates concept selection (DG2) during the current quarter, followed by DG3 at the end of this year.
It plans to add a normally unmanned platform with 12 well slots, tied back to Valhall. Six of the slots will likely be for producers, two of which could be converted to water injectors.
The project will be executed through long-term strategic frame agreements and alliances.
At Ula, production has been lower of late due to delayed conversions of water alternating gas wells, and the shut-in of one well due to high pressure. Pressure tests are planned to bring the well back online.
In the Norwegian Sea, the company has completed the Idun and Skarv A low pressure production project which is designed to help slow the decline of production in the area.
Later in the current quarter it expects concept selection (DG2) for Snadd, a planned tie-in to theSkarv FPSO. Phase 1 would involve three subsea wells tied in to Skarv A template, with first gas scheduled for 2020.
The main activities are development of the procurement strategy for partner approval and technical qualification of the electrical heat traced pipe-in-pipe flowline.
02/06/2017
