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    Aker BP progressing tie-ins at three North Sea field centers

    Feb. 11, 2022
    Aker BP has issued an update on progress of its development projects in the Norwegian North Sea in its latest results statement.
    (Courtesy Aker BP)
    The Ivar Aasen platform.
    The Ivar Aasen platform.

    Offshore staff

    LYSAKER, Norway – Aker BP has issued an update on progress of its development projects in the Norwegian North Sea in its latest results statement.

    In the Alvheim area an infill well program continues, with the Volund single lateral side-track brought onstream in late November, followed by completion of the KIW well.

    Mobilization for the subsea tieback campaign started early last month, with the project on track for start-up in the current quarter.

    The drilling campaign for Frosk should begin this summer with first oil planned for 1Q 2023. Finally, the Trell and Trine project has passed the concept select decision gate (DG2) with FID expected around mid-year, and first oil early in 2025.

    At Ivar Aasen, an IOR campaign for 2022 should be sanctioned this spring. Aker BP has submitted the PDO for the tieback of the 20-MMboe Hanz field to the Ivar Aasen platform. Break-even oil price is around $26/boe: first oil is targeted for 2024.

    Hook-up and commissioning of the second processing platform (P2) for the Johan Sverdrup complex is progressing at Aibel’s construction site in Haugesund and Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit should perform the installation next month.

    All five Phase 2 subsea well templates are in place on the fringe areas of the field and most of the in-field pipelines and umbilicals have also been installed. Odfjell’s semisubmersible Deepsea Atlantic started drilling the Phase 2 wells last month.

    For the Hod field re-development, part of the Valhall area, production has had to be pushed back to 2Q, due to the late arrival of an installation vessel. The jackup Maersk Invisible has drilled four of the wells, with the remaining two due to be drilled in the current quarter.

    The Hod A P&A project, involving permanent P&A of eight wells, passed decision gate 2, and a final investment decision should take place this spring. The Maersk Invincible will drill a further infill well on Valhall Flank West.

    Another jackup, the Maersk Reacher, continues to support stimulation and intervention activity, allowing more wells to be restored to their full production potential.

    Aker BP and partner Pandion Energy took FID late last year on a sulfate removal unit, which will provide good-quality injection water for Valhall, reducing issues related to hydrogen sulfide and scaling.

    The project, due to be completed in 2Q 2024, should also benefit chemicals consumption (opex) and shut-in of production wells.

    Finally, the joint Valhall NCP/King Lear project is now into the project maturing phase. Plans call for a new process and wellhead platform, bridge-linked to the Valhall field center; an unmanned platform on King Lear, 50 km (31 mi) from the field center; drilling of 19 wells; new infrastructure on the seabed to connect the two fields; and modifications at the Valhall field center to recover additional barrels.

    The new facilities will be connected to the existing power from shore set-up at Valhall, which should lead to close to zero emissions from operations. And the program will add new slots for further development of the Valhall area.

    Aker BP estimates gross recoverable resources at over 200 MMboe, with a breakeven oil price of $25-30/boe. Assuming FID is taken this fall, first oil should flow in 2027.

    02/11/2022