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    North Sea Alvheim floater set for water handling upgrade

    Nov. 3, 2020
    Aker BP plans to upgrade the produced water handling capacity of the Alvheim FPSO in the northern Norwegian North Sea.
    (Courtesy Aker BP)
    The Alvheim FPSO in the northern Norwegian North Sea.
    The Alvheim FPSO in the northern Norwegian North Sea.

    Offshore staff

    LYSAKER, Norway – Aker BP plans to upgrade the produced water handling capacity of the Alvheim FPSO in the northern Norwegian North Sea.

    Assuming sanction for the project by year-end, offshore installation could follow in 2021, the company said in its latest results statement.

    As for ongoing developments through the Alvheim subsea facilities, the semisubmersible Deepsea Nordkapp finished drilling the trilateral Kameleon Infill Mid well and first oil should follow soon. Another new tri-lateral production well, Boa Attic South, will be drilled during the current quarter, with first oil planned for 2Q 2021.

    Test production at the Frosk discovery has continued through the Bøyla subsea template. Aker BP aims to achieve a concept select decision for the development before the end of 2020, having secured approval from the Norwegian authorities to prolong the test production permit by one year.

    Also nearing a concept select decision is the plan for the Kobra East and Gekko discoveries, 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of the FPSO. These could be produced via four multilateral wells and a subsea tieback to Alvheim through the Kneler B manifold.

    At the Ivar Aasen field in the Utsira High region of the North Sea, the first of two 2020 IOR wells spudded in August. Both should be completed by the end of the year, with first oil planned for early 2021.

    In the southern Norwegian North Sea, corrective work finished in 3Q on the chemical injection system for the Spirit Energy-operated Oda field, which is tied back to Aker BP’s Ula platform. In addition, the Ula and Tambar licensees have entered a rig commitment for the jackup Maersk Integrator to drill two infill wells in 2021.

    Stimulation activities have continued at Valhall Flank West in the same region, with two new wells brought onstream during 3Q, although production ramp-up has been slower than expected. This has led to the adoption of a more conservative approach when starting production from the new wells in order to mitigate chalk influx.

    The jackup Maersk Invincible has relocated to the Valhall field center to plug wells at the old DP platform. Construction of the new Hod field platform has started at the Kværner yard in Verdal: the normally unmanned installation will be remotely controlled from the Valhall complex.

    The Subsea Alliance has completed the first offshore campaign by preparing for a hot tap operation that will take place next year, while the Modification Alliance has started detailed engineering and should be ready to start offshore work by the end of 2020.

    Aker BP expects production from Hod to re-start in 1Q 2022, targeting recoverable reserves of around 40 MMboe.

    11/03/2020